The Emerald in Ice
by LilyRose Blue
Summary: Skye has her hands full being a S.H.I.E.L.D. trainee but her life gets even more complicated when she admits she is falling for her supervising officer, Grant Ward. She has come to rely on her team every step of the way but betrayals and reversals threaten to change all of that. Skye must not only figure out her feelings for Ward but also confront the truth about her parents.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. story. It is definitely SkyeWard-centric. This story will be updated every week on Wednesday. The story follows canon up to the Hub episode. I'd love to hear what everyone thinks about the formatting and the overall content of the story. Reviews and suggestions are always welcome. I do not have a beta so there are bound to be a few mistakes here and there. If anyone spots anything major please send me a message so that I can fix it. This story will tackle Skye's origin story. Thanks!**

* * *

**1. The Kiss**

* * *

After Agent Coulson left Skye's bunk, she closed the door and changed into her pajamas. After turning off the light, she sat there in absolute shock. It was such a small piece of information but it was more than she ever knew before. There were still a million and one questions to answer but for the first time in her life, she was closer to the truth.

The truth was a thrilling prospect but it also scared her. For every wonderful possibility, there were one hundred terrible ones. However, she understood that the pursuit of the truth didn't always end in butterflies and rainbows. Sometimes the search for the truth just led you to a bottomless pit.

Skye hugged her knees to her chest and thought about the possible identity of her parents. Could her mother be the female S.H.I.E.L.D. agent that dropped her off at the orphanage? Or was she the orphan of some criminal locked away in the fridge. She didn't care if her parents were villains or heroes. She just wanted to know who they were and what happened to them.

Skye spent her entire childhood making up stories about the identity of her parents. Sometimes she imagined they were King and Queen of some far away land. Other times she imagined they were music stars or international spies. However, the one constant in her dreams was they always loved her and missed her. That narrative allowed her to survive the loneliness.

Ward knocked on the door to Skye's bunk and asked, "Can I come in?"

She turned on the light and saw the awkward look on Ward's face. She nodded. "Yeah, come in. I'm not doing anything."

Skye crossed her legs Indian style and placed a pillow on her lap.

"Mind if I have a seat?"

She nodded and moved to make room for Ward's large frame in her tiny bunk. Skye studied his face trying to understand the mask of emotions in front of her. Ward was good at hiding his true feelings but she was learning which masks hid which emotions. Computers were not the only thing she was good at hacking.

He had a seat on Skye's bunk. He asked, "How are you doing?"

Skye tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ears and said, "I should be asking you that question. You and Fitz could have died today. Are you okay?"

Ward looked into her dark brown eyes and said, "That is sort of my job description. It was just another day at the office for me."

"Your job description is to be some sort of sacrifice to S.H.I.E.L.D.? That has got to be the worst job description ever."

He sighed and said, "It is hard to understand but they put the needs of the many over the needs of the few. The mission saved millions of lives and if I died in service of S.H.I.E.L.D. then it would be worth it. I understand I owe you and Simmons for the save."

She suddenly felt shy and uneasy under his intense stare. She shook her head, "It was nothing. May did all of the heavy lifting when she literally blew away the bad guys. Remind me to never get in her way."

He reached out and covered her hand with his own, "Agents May and Coulson would have not taken the innovative to hack The Hub and investigate the exfiltration plan. Fitz and I were going to die. Thank you, Skye."

"I just had a bad feeling about sending the two of you out there with no backup. I like when we all work together as a team. It is nice being able to watch your back. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you because," Skye trailed off.

She didn't know if she wanted to complete that sentence. Once she put her feelings into words, she couldn't take them back.

Ward's voice grew deeper and he asked, "Because?"

Skye shrugged and said, "I don't know."

"I think you do."

Ward held her gaze like a steel trap. He felt his heart start to race. For weeks, he had worked hard to deny his true feelings but it was becoming more difficult the closer they became.

She said, "I would miss you if you were killed. You make me feel normal. I mean Simmons and Fitz are like these super geniuses and they don't try to make me feel out of my element but I am. Coulson and May are older and they look at me like the errant kid always looking for trouble. Sometimes you look at me that way, too, but there are other times when…"

Ward was acutely aware that he should make an excuse to end this conversation and retreat to the safety of his bunk. The situation was rapidly slipping from his control. He didn't see a way back if they crossed this line. Ward stared at Skye's perfectly shaped pink lips and thought about what it would feel like to feel them against his own.

Skye held her breath as Ward leaned closer to her and she could smell the heady scent of his Tom Ford cologne. Underneath that was the smallest hint of soap and his natural masculine scent. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he firmly gripped her chin and tilted her head upward so that their eyes met.

He whispered, "Are you going to finish that thought?"

She swallowed thickly and said, "Sometimes it feels like you might actually like me and that feels really nice because I like you, too. I like you a lot and I'm not sure what to do with that. I'm a hacker on probation and you're the amazing Agent Ward. I must sound like an idiot. Please tell me S.H.I.E.L.D. has one of those memory wiping gadgets to make you forget I said any of this."

Ward lost his last remaining shred of self-control seeing how vulnerable she looked. He moved his hands to Skye's face and pulled her close to him. Grant stared into her dark eyes before he moved his mouth onto hers. He kissed her hard and passionately.

Skye began to feel lightheaded from the sheer weight of what they were doing. Kissing Grant made her want to let things go further than they should on a plane full of their colleagues. She was certain they were breaking some type of rule but she couldn't find the willpower to stop or care.

Skye's mind raced wondering what this meant. Did Ward return her feelings or was this a reaction from nearly dying? However, all of those thoughts fell away when she felt Grant's hand caress her arm.

When they broke apart, Grant took a moment to appreciate the amazing sight in front of him. Skye was incredible. He knew that she was beautiful but so often they were busy and he didn't take the time to admire her beauty.

Skye's body tensed as her back made contact with the mattress. Suddenly this moment was all too real and happening too quickly for her brain to catch up.

He could feel Skye's body tense underneath his touch and stopped immediately. He took in a deep breath trying to steady himself. There was nothing he wanted more than to be with her but he would never push her into something she didn't want or wasn't ready for.

"Do you want me to stop?" he whispered, hesitantly.

She shook her head and said, "No, I just I want to make a good first impression. I don't want to do anything wrong and make a fool out of myself. Miles is the only man I've ever been with…"

He smiled when she blushed and said, "Skye, you don't need to impress me. I already think you are amazing. Believe me..."

* * *

**2. Operation: Emerald**

* * *

Melinda May walked to into Agent Coulson's office and frowned seeing the look on his face. She could read the distress on in his expression. He hadn't been himself for awhile and that was worrisome. The seasoned agent needed to be in top form to continue leading their team. Circumstances or Director Fury were constantly testing the team.

Coulson was engrossed in the file lying on his desktop. This was not exactly what he expected to find and it was just another example of S.H.I.E.L.D. not being completely honest with him. The secrecy and layers of clearance were really starting to chafe his bottom. He didn't appreciate flying blind at the whims of his superiors. Agent Coulson was frustrated but he wasn't sure why. He had years of experience with the ridiculous S.H.I.E.L.D. bureaucracy and it never bothered him before. Before New York. Before he died. Before Tahiti. Before. Before. Before. He was different now and he couln't exactly put his finger on how.

May cleared her throat, "You wanted to see me, Phil?"

Coulson snapped out of his thoughts and flashed a weak smile. He said, "I did. Close the door. I need to talk to you in private and I can't take the risk of anyone overhearing this conversation."

She closed the door and had a seat in front of his desk. "What's going on?"

Phil loosened his tie and took it off as if the offending material was responsible for the tightness in his chest. "I found out why Skye joined our team. She's been looking for a document that was redacted by S.H.I.E.L.D. years ago. She wants to see the original document. I found out tonight that there is an entire file on Skye and the redacted document is only the beginning."

"What is in the file?"

"There is a report filed by Agent Linda Avery. She is the agent that left Skye at an orphanage. Agent Avery was subsequently killed and it is believed that her death was a direct result to the last major operation she ran. Skye was found during that failed operation."

May settled into the chair more and looked at the pictures Agent Coulson passed across his desk. She shook her head seeing photographs the dead agent and the autopsy report detailing her perimortem injuries. Agent Avery's body showed numerous signs of torture. She asked, "What was the operation?"

"I don't know. I have only conducted a cursory search of the records but I haven't found a file on the operation. It is as if the operation never happened. It was mentioned in Avery's report as Operation Emerald."

May's suspicions were quickly raised hearing that there was no record of the mission. That was unusual. S.H.I.E.L.D. thrived on paperwork and even the most off-book operations had some sort of paper trail even if it was just an authorization by the director. If there was no paper trail that meant it was erased or it was so top-secret that the agency wanted to completely insulate itself from acknowledging the existence.

Coulson continued, "I told Skye that a field agent dropped her off at the orphanage but I didn't tell her anything else. I can't until we know what we are dealing with. She believes that the agent may be her mother."

She stared at him intently. "What aren't you telling me?"

There were many things Agent Coulson wasn't telling her but he decided to lead with the most pertinent piece of information. "There are additional documents in Skye's file and I know for certain Agent Avery was not her mother."

May frowned as Phil passed her the file. She quietly skimmed the lab report and then stared at him with a look of disbelief. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I but we won't say anything to Skye until we have more information. I will need your help digging into this, May. Agent Avery had a purpose for leaving Skye at that orphanage without an identity. She may be in danger because of who she is or who her mother is."

"I'll start looking but maybe it would be a good idea to tell her about her mother. She's still alive and for better or worse she is Skye's mother."

Coulson shook his head, "I won't put Skye at risk until we know more."

"I'll start looking tonight. Did you need anything else?"

"No. Goodnight, May."

* * *

**3. The Morning After**

* * *

Skye awoke the next morning well before the sun began to rise. At first, she wondered if the previous night had all been just a dream, but that notion was quickly dispelled when she felt Ward's warm body pressed up against hers. She opened her eyes and looked at his sleeping face. He looked peaceful in a way that he never did when he was awake. She assumed it was because he was always in tactical mode. It had to be a heavy weight to be responsible for so many people.

Last night was the first time she had the opportunity to see him with his guard down. Unguarded Ward was amazing and he made her feel desired. The night they shared was beautiful and intense. It was a night that she would never forget. Grant was such a tough man but he showed her another side. He was the most gentle and attentive lover. She lost count of the times he kissed her, caressed her, and murmured words of encouragement into her ear. A blush colored her cheeks as she remembered what she was doing amidst some of those words of encouragement.

She took a moment to look at Grant's body in the ambient light provided by overhead lighting on the bus. Skye wasn't looking at his muscles but at his scars. She saw a particularly nasty one on his side and couldn't resist the urge to trace the rough edges. She wondered if he received it as an agent or in his dark and troubled childhood. Skye had more than a few scars, physical and emotional, to show for her days at St. Agnes.

She spotted another scar on his chest that looked to be from a knife. Skye felt her chest tighten seeing how close it was to his lungs. She wasn't a biochemist like Jemma but she had an excellent grasp on human anatomy.

Each of the scars had a tale to tell and part of her wanted to know every detail. However, she recognized that Ward didn't like talking about his past and was unlikely to open up to her.

Skye moved her head so that it was closer to his chest and she listened to his heartbeat. It was a sweet sound. When the air conditioner kicked on Skye shivered and burrowed closer to Ward. However, she accidentally head butted his chin in the process.

Skye disturbed Ward's light sleep. He opened his eyes and pulled the blanket up around her body more. "Cold?"

She smiled, "A little. I'm sorry. I guess I am sort of underdressed."

Ward started to move, "Do you want me to find your nightgown?"

"No, I'd rather you stay right here with me for a little while longer. Good morning," said Skye.

He kissed her cheek and said, "Morning."

Ward rubbed her back hoping to generate a little extra heat for her body. He smiled feeling Skye bury her face against his chest. Ward could smell the pomegranate scented shampoo she used on her hair. He wished that he could freeze frame this moment.

He rested his chin against her soft hair and closed his eyes. It was a rarity for Ward to give in to his impulses but last night he couldn't resist Skye. He was unsure if it was the realization that the agency he devoted his life to sent him into the field to die or that Skye risked everything to get the information that ultimately saved his life. She did truly care for him.

Skye placed a soft kiss against the knife wound on his chest and slid her hand down his chest.

He whispered into her hair, "What are you doing?"

She said, "It's still early. Everyone else will be asleep for a while."

Ward's eyes fluttered closed as he got lost in the moment. His lips upturned into a smile as he thought about her insatiable nature. Ward had enjoyed their night together more than he could describe. Skye vacillated between brash and timid, each version equally turned him on. He knew how much courage it took her to be vulnerable with him. Skye was used to pretending that she didn't need anyone or anything.

He knew this was a bad idea. All of this was a bad idea but Skye was a weakness for him. She had been from the moment she stepped onto that plane. There was part of him that wanted to allow them to fall down the rabbit hole and see where this went.

However, Skye was still an unknown quantity. A few weeks ago, he thought everything between them was great and then they found her half dressed at her ex-boyfriend's apartment. She chose a member of the Rising Tide over her team. He had forgiven her and chalked the behavior up to a youthful transgression. However, her youth was the problem. Having a relationship with a young agent was ill advised.

"It isn't a good idea. May and Coulson could get up at any moment."

Ward grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away from him. He looked at his watch and saw that it was 4:00 in the morning. May and Coulson would be getting up in an hour to start their day. The agents were nothing if not creatures of habit. Ward got out of the bed and turned on the light to aid the search for his clothes.

Skye sat up in the bed and pulled the sheet up to cover her chest. She watched as he located his clothes and got dressed.

"I can't believe we did that," said Ward.

She smiled, "That was pretty crazy. I did not expect last night to ever happen."

Ward said, "Good. Then we can agree that it was a one-off and we should go back to business as usual?"

The smile quickly fell away from her face. She asked, "Business as usual?"

Ward had hoped that she would accept it but truthfully, he knew this was going to be painful. However, it was like taking off a band-aid the quicker the better. If he let this continue, it could only end badly.

He sighed, "Skye, last night was impulsive and we shouldn't have done it. We were working off emotion. I am your supervising officer. Do you know how many rules I broke last night?"

"Grant you didn't do anything wrong. I wanted that…I want this. You didn't take advantage of me."

"Even so I broke the rules, Skye. A supervising officer isn't to have an intimate relationship with a trainee. No matter how much he might want one," said Ward, he looked miserable.

"I don't care about the rules. If we both like each other then we should see where this goes."

He snapped, "Well, you're not exactly the best example for making good decisions. You don't even know the rules because you've never been to the academy. This was a major breach. I don't know what I was thinking."

Grant's dig about her decision-making skills hurt more than she cared to admit.

Ward hated to see the wounded expression on her face but he knew this was better than the alternative. S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol was for one or both of them to be reassigned. He would rather be close to her and not with her than the alternative.

She said, "You didn't mind my rule breaking when it saved your life."

"I appreciate that but the rules are here to protect us, Skye. I know that you don't get that but a physical connection between agents could compromise a mission. It could be seen that I am taking advantage of you. I'm your supervising officer and I'm six years your senior. Nothing about what happened last night is okay. It is better that we don't speak of it again, but if you feel as though I've violated our relationship you can report the inappropriate contact to Agent Coulson."

Skye had not felt so hurt in a long time. She felt tears welling up in her eyes. She said, "Get out!"

He whispered, "Keep your voice down. I'm not saying this to hurt you or upset you. You know what I said last night about how I felt. I meant it…"

She threw a pillow at him and said, "Get out!"

Ward caught the pillow easily and placed it on her bed. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, "I'm so sorry."

He turned off the lights and walked out of her bunk.

Skye curled up into a ball and sobbed quietly. She had just made the biggest mistake of her S.H.I.E.L.D. career. How was she supposed to work with Grant now?

* * *

**4. A Friend in Need**

* * *

Skye walked into the training room on the bus and started to warm up. She was glad that Agent Ward had not yet arrived because it gave her time to settle in. It had been five days since she shared a night with Grant and neither had breathed a word about the situation. She was grateful that Grant seemed eager to put distance between them as well. He made himself scarce when she ventured out of the solitude of her bunk. It couldn't last forever but there were no cases at the moment so everyone could sort of do their own thing.

She worked at her computer, studied the S.H.I.E.L.D. handbook, or spent far too much time in Fitz and Simmons' lab to limit the opportunities to run into Ward. She feigned illness for a few days to avoid having to train with him but Agent Coulson suggested a physical to detect the source of her mysterious and sudden illness. Instead of allowing Jemma to run tests that would ultimately prove she was the picture of health she decided to bite the bullet and just get the training session over with.

Agent Coulson walked into the training room and smiled, "I am glad to see that you are feeling better, Skye. I was beginning to worry about you."

She forced a smile in his direction and said, "I'm fine. I must have picked up a 72-hour bug or something. I am back to normal now."

However, the seasoned agent could tell that she was anything but normal. Something happened that he just couldn't put his finger on and it would seem that Skye's lips were firmly sealed. He wondered if this was about her birth parents but quickly dismissed that idea. For now, she was satisfied with the scant information he shared after they left the Hub.

"Is there anything you want to talk about, Skye? I get the feeling that something is bothering you. I would like to think that you know I will always listen."

Skye's expression softened considerably and she said, "I wouldn't even know where to begin. It is stupid and childish of me."

Agent Coulson said, "You are one of the smartest people I know. I highly doubt that you are being stupid or childish. It is okay to have emotions, Skye. Everyone has emotions."

"Even Agent May?"

"May has more emotions than you'd realize on first glance but anger counts too."

She laughed, "I guess you have a point there."

As soon as Agent Ward walked into the room, the brief levity Skye showed was replaced by a determined grimace.

He smiled at Skye, "Ready to get started?"

Skye nodded in the affirmative but otherwise remained silent.

Agent Couslon studied the two of them and said, "We will finish this conversation later, Skye."

"There is no need for that, AC," Skye replied, she finished wrapping her hands in preparation of her lesson.

Agent Coulson went back to his office with a lot of his mind.

Ward smiled, "I thought that we might try a little hand-to-hand combat. I will take it easy on you. I know that you have been sick. We'll build back up to where you were before you were sick."

Grant knew that her illness was fake but it was his way of acknowledging he understood that she was hurt. It was never his intention and in some ways, he wished he could take it back. Skye just didn't understand the trouble this situation could cause.

Skye got into position and listened to Ward ramble away about proper technique. It was all a little over her head at times. It was a routine training session until she sucker punched him.

He took a step back and pressed a hand to his face feeling blood seep from his lip.

Skye's eye widened and she mumbled, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. Are you okay?"

Ward shook his head and said, "It is fine. I didn't see it coming. That was good. Let's go again."

Their training session went on like that for nearly two hours. They would practice normally but every so often Skye would punch or kick him harder than normal and it would catch him off guard. Soon enough Ward realized these motions came when she disconnected her brain from the activity and let her body take over. These weren't tactical maneuvers but emotional outbursts.

In the last round of practice, Ward pinned Skye to the floor and said, "Now you have to figure out how to get out of the hold and we will be done with practice for today."

Skye struggled but couldn't figure out how to get out of the hold.

He prodded, "Come on, Skye. We've been over this a million times. Get your head in the game! If you are ever in this position you need to know how to free yourself."

Memories of that night flooded into Skye's brain and she felt her cheeks flush. She felt stupid for still having a silly crush on Ward even after he told her it was a mistake. Skye elbowed him viciously in the stomach and then brought her knee up to do the same thing. As soon as he winced, she rolled out from under him and took off like flash.

Ward sat on the floor watching her retreating figure and sighed. He was making this situation worse without even trying. Training with Skye today was a horrible idea and if Agent Coulson stuck around, he would definitely know something was wrong.

Ward considered reporting the inappropriate contact from a few days ago. It was the only way to get Skye a new supervising officer. Coulson wouldn't allow the change without good reason. Grant liked working with Skye but she deserved a S.O. she trusted. Coulson or May would be better suited to her needs.

Jemma had been watching with some interest for a while and immediately followed Skye. The biochemist found the young woman curled up in her bunk. Jemma had a seat and said, "Men are oblivious to everything. I don't know why Agent Coulson insisted you train today."

Skye looked up with tears in her eyes and asked, "Am I that obvious?"

Jemma smiled cheerfully, "It is obvious to anyone with a healthy supply of estrogen. You like Agent Ward but something has changed between the two of you."

Skye sat up in the bed more and wrapped her arms around her knees she sighed, "I'm like a lovesick teenager. How pathetic, huh?"

"I was just wondering when you were going to figure out you had a crush on him. I've known for weeks."

Skye sighed, "I've known for awhile but I was trying to play it cool. That went out of the window pretty fast."

Jemma pulled her legs up onto the bed and wrapped her arms around them matching Skye's position. "Why are you so angry with him? Did he not return your feelings?"

"I wish. I think I would feel better if he didn't like me. He said that he felt the same way but that we couldn't be together because of the rules. I hate the rules. The rules almost left Ward and Fitz to die. Worse he told me that we couldn't be together after we'd…"

Jemma asked, "After what?"

Skye shook her head and she pressed her face against her knees for fear of crying again.

"You and Agent Ward had sexual intercourse?" asked Jemma a little too loudly.

Skye frowned, "Louder! I don't think May heard you in the cockpit."

Jemma covered her mouth and lowered her voice, "Sorry! You and Ward had sexual intercourse? Here on the plane?"

Skye nodded solemnly, "It just sort of happened. He came in here to thank me for helping rescue him and Fitz. I started talking about why I would take such a big risk when I'm already in Coulson's doghouse and one thing lead to another. You know how the old story goes. The next morning he said it was a mistake."

The scientist pulled Skye into a heartfelt hug. She could not imagine the pain of being rejected by the person you cared for so deeply. Skye and Ward weren't the only agents that shared a more than platonic relationship. She and Fitz shared a kiss the night Ward jumped out of the plan to rescue her. It had been spontaneous and the start of a very quiet relationship.

"What are you going to do?"

Skye said, "I was going to mope in my bunk until I felt better but then Agent Coulson said I would need to get checked out by you if I was sick any longer."

Jemma smiled, "Well, you are in luck. I just realized that you have an undetermined illness that will require a battery of tests. Tests which may take several days to complete with the other work I already have piling up in the lab."

"You would do that for me?"

"Of course. I'll tell Agent Coulson."

Skye smiled, "Thank you."

* * *

**5. Doctor's Excuse**

* * *

Melinda May walked into Agent Coulson's office after Jemma flitted by her nervously. She asked, "What was that about? She seems on edge. Well, even more on edge than normal."

Phil handed Melinda a piece of paper and tented his fingers together in thought. Simmons was a stickler for the rules and it wasn't likely that she would participate in this ruse unless it was necessary. He could have called her on the obvious lie but thought it better to stay quiet for now.

May sat down in front of the desk and read over the slip of paper with some amusement. She asked, "A doctor's note?"

"Yes, it seems Skye is sick with an unknown illness. Simmons is recommending bed rest and fluids until tests can determine the source. Skye shouldn't participate in anymore training activities until further notice."

"I'm sensing you don't believe Simmons…"

Coulson said, "Simmons was incredibly nervous. Lying is not really her strong suit and she informed me the tests could take several days. I knew Skye was faking her illness. I was hoping that by forcing her to see Jemma or train that she would come to me with whatever is troubling her. She has been odd since the incident at the Hub."

May said, "Well, you did tell her about the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent that left her at the orphanage. Perhaps you should speak with Ward. He might have a pulse on what is wrong with Skye."

The older man shook his head and wore a pensive expression on his face, "No, I think the two matters are related."

"How so?"

"I don't know. I am still trying to figure that out. She was beginning to open up to me before Ward walked into the room."

"Maybe she didn't feel comfortable talking in front of Ward. You should try again," Melinda suggested.

Phil said, "No, it was more than that. She didn't just stop talking when Ward walked in. It was as if she shifted personalities. It was a curious chain of events. I watched their training session from here to observe their interaction."

He cued up the footage and pressed play.

Melinda turned around and watched the training session. She smiled when Skye sucker punched Ward. She turned around and said, "I would say that there is some tension between supervising officer and trainee. Perhaps it would be better to talk to Ward about his part in this."

Phil said, "You might be right. I'm sorry. You came in here for a reason. What is on your mind, May?"

"I've started digging into Skye's background. I am not making as much progress as I would like. I have been through the records and it appears that all of the agents from that case are dead with the exception of one man."

Coulson asked, "Who?"

"Agent Richard Lumley. He is completely off our radar and has been for years. I can't find a trace of the agent in question. I know that you wanted to make progress in the investigation but I just wonder if telling her the truth might be the better option. You can at least tell her about her mother."

He shook his head, "Not until we know how much danger she may be in. All of the agents associated with the case being dead indicates there is a lot going on here that we don't know about. Her mother is dangerous. Skye would want to seek her out and that can't happen until we are certain that she isn't the threat."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! I'm back the the second installment. I hope everyone is enjoying the story. The reviews from the first chapter were very encouraging. I am at 80% completion on writing this story so you can expect another update next Wednesday as scheduled. I still don't have a beta so there will be some mistakes. As the story goes on we will get deeper into some elements from the comic books but it will always be SkyeWard-centric. **

* * *

**6. The Discovery in the Monastery**

* * *

Skye donned a pair of rubber gloves and helped Simmons collect evidence at the monastery. It was hard to believe that humans could cause so much damage in so little time. The old structure that had survived a couple centuries was in tatters. The poor monks weren't in much better shape. Agent May transported them to the local hospital for medical attention. Meanwhile, Ward and Coulson kept watch over the prisoners. A S.H.I.E.L.D. team was en route to pick them up and transport them to one of the many secret detention centers. On the bright side, Agent Coulson arranged for the team to stay the night at a local hotel. Skye was excited about the queen size bed with her name on it.

Jemma smiled at Skye and said, "Thank you for the help collecting evidence. There was quite a bit more than I anticipated and I'm not sure where Fitz got off to. They certainly left a mess of everything with that berserker staff."

"He went out to the ops van not long ago. I assumed he wanted to play with his gadgets. I don't mind helping at all. I want to learn how to be a good S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. I haven't been to the academy so I guess I will have to get a hands on education. Besides, I owe you one for that doctor's excuse. I needed those extra days."

"All better?"

Skye said, "My pride is a little dented but I'll live. I've been reading the handbook a lot and he was right about consequences. He could be demoted or reassigned for dating his trainee. He likes me but a relationship with me could get him into trouble. I know how much S.H.I.E.L.D. means to Ward. I would never want to jeopardize his career. We'll just have to be friends - for now. Maybe once I'm a full-fledged S.H.I.E.L.D. agent we can be more than friends. A girl can hope."

"Ah, well, good on you. I see the way Agent Ward looks at you Skye. He likes you."

"Sometimes I think he does and sometimes- I wonder if he was just trying to spare my feelings."

Jemma hummed slightly. She knew better but it wouldn't do her any good to know that. "Will you help me wrap the berserker staff in plastic? We wouldn't want any humans accidentally touching it with bare hands and becoming enraged. I think we've had enough of that for today."

Skye picked up the roll of industrial plastic and said, "Sure. It will be good to have this thing locked up where it can't cause any more trouble. I didn't like the effect it had on Ward. I hated seeing him that way. He makes a lot of sacrifices to keep us all safe."

"Yes, he was quite out of sorts. Agent Ward does a lot to keep us all safe. He jumped out of a plane to save my life. Oh, Agent Coulson wants us to double wrap this just in case."

Jemma helped Skye stretch out a section of plastic that was twice the length of the staff.

Skye asked, "How are we supposed to keep the plastic from falling off? It isn't the sticky type."

"No, Fitz forgot it on the bus. I'm afraid we will just have to improvise. Oh, we can use tape to secure the plastic. It is going into a containment box but it is better to be safe than sorry. I will be right back. I have some in my kit."

"I'll get the staff wrapped up."

Skye reached out to pick up the staff and the carvings were illuminated with a bright green light. It looked very different from when Ward and May used it earlier. Skye distinctly remembered the light being an orange color. The staff began to levitate toward Skye's hand as if beckoning her to pick it up. The pull was nearly irresistible. She looked around and realized that she was alone. No one would have to know if she touched it just once. Skye took a deep breath to steady herself and then allowed the staff to float into her hand.

Instantly, it felt right. The rage and power surged through her core and she felt more powerful than she ever had. She flashed back to being beat up by an older boy at St. Agnes' Orphanage while others taunted her for being weird. She had the overwhelming urge to find the boy from her past and rip him from limb to limb. Instinctively, Skye turned her palm upward and a large ball of flames appeared. She threw the ball at a tapestry hanging on the wall and turned it into ash. Skye turned her palm upward again and another ball of flames appeared.

The smell of smoke triggered another vision for Skye. She saw images of a woman dressed in an emerald green body suit in the middle of a fierce battle with a woman with blazing red hair. The landscape was blanketed with white snow. The woman's blonde hair swayed in the wind like waves of gold. Her bright green eyes matched her outfit and the crown atop her head. Skye caught her own reflection in a window and saw her dark eyes change to a shining green.

A warm feeling surrounded her upon seeing the woman. It was almost indescribable. It felt as if she knew the woman.

She quickly released the staff and it fell onto the waiting plastic with a thud. The fireball extinguished just as quickly as she settled onto her feet. Skye swiftly double wrapped the berserker staff and then walked away from it. Her eyes fell onto the pile of ash underneath the spot on the wall where the tapestry once hung.

She wanted to talk to someone about what just happened but she was too afraid she would get into trouble for touching the staff to begin with. She was already on a probation of sorts for warning Miles. The team was just beginning to trust her again. Skye liked being a part of the team. She didn't want to mess it up for good.

Simmons returned with the tape and said, "Fitz is helping Agents Ward and Coulson watch the prisoners. I think he likes working out in the field. He wants to be more macho."

Skye was too deep in her own thoughts to hear Simmons.

"Skye? Is everything okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, sure. I'm fine, Jemma."

Jemma asked, "Do you smell smoke?"

Skye said, "Huh? Uh maybe it is the incense I was playing around with. Sorry. What are you going to do tonight?"

Simmons secured the plastic around the staff and said, "Fitz and I are going to watch episodes of Doctor Who."

Skye said, "Oh…"

That dashed her hopes of a girly night with Jemma. It looked like she would be on her own and probably bored senseless.

Simmons placed the staff into a containment box and looked up at Skye's face. She said, "But you're more than welcome to join us. The more the merrier."

She laughed softly. She couldn't possibly muscle in on their alone time. There were so few opportunities for privacy on the bus. She had seen the passing glances between them when they thought no one was looking.

She shook her head, "No, I think I'll have a couple drinks at the bar. Afterward I have an audiobook I've been meaning to get around to but haven't had the time. I think I will listen to it while I take a nice long bath. I've missed having a real bathtub."

Simmons chuckled, "It's the little luxuries you miss the most on the bus. A hot bath is at the top of that list. Showers are fine for hygiene but they do nothing for relaxation. The boys don't seem to mind."

Skye said, "Well, they wouldn't, would they? Especially, not Ward. He hardly seems the type to want to soak in a bathtub."

"Can you imagine Agent Ward in a bubble bath?"asked Jemma.

Skye laughed, "With a rubber duckie?"

Grant cleared his throat to announce his presence. He asked, "Why are you two imagining me in a bubble bath?"

Skye flushed with embarrassment but said, "Team building exercise."

Ward suppressed a smirk seeing the blush that colored Skye's cheeks. It was the small things that drew him in like a moth to a flame. Skye had no clue how she affected him and if they were going to work together it would have to remain that way. "We're ready to leave. Transport arrived."

Simmons sang, "Rubber duckie, you're the one. You make bath time lots of fun."

Skye joined in, "Rubber duckie, I'm awfully fond of you."

* * *

**7. Aftermath of the Staff**

* * *

Skye brushed out her hair after taking a very relaxing bath. She enjoyed a few drinks in the bar with Ward earlier in the night and now had a nice glow about her. Skye wished that he would have stayed at the bar longer or come up to her room.

The scene from the monastery was on a permanent loop in her brain. She knew the rage Ward displayed was in part the result of that Asgardian staff. However, she also knew that there was something deep and dark that lived inside of him. When she first met him, Skye assumed it was a sort of G-man mentality.

However, she now knew the edges of the trauma that shaped him but not the true extent. Skye wondered if Grant ever allowed himself to be completely honest with anyone about the hell he endured as a child. They had that much in common. She didn't really want to talk about her bleak childhood. Nuns were supposed to be loving but so often they only spoke of the vengeful God that would strike you down for the smallest infraction. She was bounced around so much as a child that she had a hard time trusting people. The one person she trusted with the whole story was her ex-boyfriend and he turned out to be a fraud. All of his ideals were phony and so was he.

Grant's pain that afternoon at the monastery caused her a physical pain. She felt helpless to do anything to help him. It made their current situation all the more difficult. They were still walking on eggshells around one another. She understood his decision now but that didn't make it less awkward. Sex changes a relationship whether you want it to or not.

It was late but she was worried about Grant. She imagined him wearing a hole into the carpet of his hotel room. Skye made up her mind to cheer him up or at least try. She knew him well enough to know he wouldn't want to talk about the memories the staff conjured up. He buried his pain deep and anyone trying to unbury it was asking for trouble. She had offered him a shoulder in the bar but he wasn't likely to take her up on the offer now.

Instead, she grabbed her laptop with the idea that they could watch a movie together or listen to music. He needed something to quiet the voices in his head and she needed to be close to him. Skye was struggling with her own experience with the berserker staff. She didn't want to be alone with her own thoughts.

She quickly padded down the hallway to his room wearing a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top. Briefly she considered that this was inappropriate attire but she wasn't about to go back to change.

Skye knocked on the door and waited for an answer.

She frowned at the silence on the other side of the door. It wasn't likely that her brooding supervising officer would be able to rest after his intense day. She had learned his pattern of behavior in their time together on the bus.

She knocked harder and said, "Ward, open the door! I know you are in there! It's late and I'll totally wake up the other guests if you don't let me in soon. I…I just want to know that you are okay. You can totally tell me to get lost."

A drunken man stumbled down the hallway and shot her a lecherous look.

She glared at the passing man warning him off silently. She had enough combat training from Ward to make the drunkard regret any dumb decision. However, that didn't stop her from hugging the laptop closer to her body as some type of shield.

Skye began to get worried. Grant couldn't have slept through her knocking on his door. He was a light sleeper because he was always alert. Sometimes he woke up when she walked by his bunk on the bus. Although if Skye was honest she walked a little harder than necessary and made a little noise because she liked waking him. He would walk out and ask her if everything was okay. Sometimes they'd talk like friends. She liked those quiet moments between them in the middle of the night.

She began to pound on the door feeling her anxiety level reach the tipping point. They didn't know the side effects of that Asgardian staff on humans. What if it caused them to do something crazy? Ward was so angry and full of rage earlier.

The drunkard staggered back toward Skye and grabbed her arm.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing out here tonight?"

She shoved him and said, "Get lost! I'm not interested and you think too highly of yourself."

"You shouldn't have done that, Skye!"

The man's eye flashed a strange red color and he backhanded Skye so hard that she flew backward into the door of Ward's hotel room. Her head hit the door with a sickening thud and she was rendered unconscious.

A woman in a flowered dress walked down the hallway and stopped to look at Skye's prone body. She sighed and said, "I said talk to her…not incapacitate her."

"She wasn't interested in talking to me, cher."

"No, she wasn't interested in a pervert hitting on her. I should have never sent a man to do a woman's job. Get out of here before she wakes up. I'll approach her another time."

He grunted, "I don't see why we need her."

She sighed, "That is because your tiny brain can't begin to comprehend the things that are in the works. The Clairvoyant was very clear about not harming the girl. You will answer for this. Now go away before she wakes up."

He rolled his eyes and stalked off. He hated when Raina began talking of grand plans. It was as if she was speaking in riddles.

Raina waited until he stepped into the elevator and she then took a small black kit from her purse. She ripped open an alcohol swab and cleaned a space on Skye's arm. Raina tied an elastic band around the upper portion of her arm and searched for a healthy vein.

"There you are…perfect," Raina mumbled, she took out a syringe and stuck the needle into her vein. Rain took off the elastic band and watched patiently as Skye's blood quickly filled the airtight tube. Raina dropped the sealed tube into her purse and produced another. In total, she collected six tubes of blood from Skye.

She lightly brushed the girl's hair away from her face and whispered, "I'll see you again soon, Skye."

Skye lay on the floor unconscious for nearly 30 minutes before she began to stir. She sat up quickly and looked around for her assailant but immediately felt lightheaded. She put a hand to the back of her head and felt moisture collecting on her fingers.

"Crap," she muttered.

She grabbed her laptop and slowly got to her feet. Skye knocked on Ward's door. "Help me. Ward…"

The young woman leaned against the door for a few minutes hoping her head would stop swimming long enough to move from her spot.

When she stopped seeing double Skye abandoned Grant's door and ran down the hall to May's room. If there was a problem 'the Cavalry' was always the person to call on. She pounded on the door and said, "May, I need your help!"

The door whipped open and Agent Grant Ward stood before Skye in a pair of hastily acquired boxers and a worried look. He took a step toward Skye and glanced down the hallway to assess for danger.

"What's wrong?" asked Ward.

Skye's eyes widened and she backed away from him. She felt as if her brain was about to explode. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was going on here. She suddenly felt incredibly stupid.

She swallowed thickly and mumbled, "I was looking for May because someone…"

Grant stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Skye, you're shaking. What's going on? Are you okay? Come in. Is that blood on your clothes?"

Skye snatched away from him at the invitation to come into the room. "No!"

She dropped her laptop and sprinted down the hallway in the direction of the stairwell.

Ward stood there in shock wondering what had just happened. He looked down seeing Skye's laptop on the floor and picked it up. There was a bloody handprint on the top. Ward walked back into the hotel room seeing Melinda now completely dressed.

She said, "You should go after her."

Ward said, "I am."

He collected his clothes, dressed, and left the room in search of Skye. He took the stairs two at a time hoping his long strides would help him catch up to her. Soon enough he was running through the lobby and out the front doors of the hotel. He looked both ways down the block unsure of which direction to set off in when he saw Skye sitting across the street on a bench.

Ward quickly crossed the street and sat next to her on the bench.

"I hate to tell you but I don't think there are any buses running right now," he joked.

When his joke didn't get even an acknowledgement he focused in on Skye's face and saw tears sliding down her cheeks. He felt an odd pang in his chest. He reached out to put an arm around her but the young woman deftly slid out of his grasp.

Properly rebuked Ward collected himself and asked, "Why did you come looking for May? Is there something I can help you with? Where did the blood come from?"

Skye hastily dried her eyes with the back of her hand and gave a curt shake of her head, "No. I don't need anything from anyone. I cut myself accidentally. No big deal. Go back to May. Goodnight, Agent Ward."

She stood up and marched back across the street not sparing even a glance back at Grant.

Grant jogged after Skye. He caught up with her when she walked into the hotel lobby. It was there in the bright lights of the hotel that he saw her blood soaked hair. He grabbed the young woman and spun her around.

"Skye, what happened to you? Who did this? Tell me now!"

Skye struggled against him. "Let me go!"

"Skye, just talk to me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you. I am sorry for what you saw tonight but if you're in trouble I want to help. Please." He touched her cheek with an almost feather light touch.

She saw that Ward was not going to just let her go. Skye sighed and said, "I don't know. I went looking for you and…this guy tried to hit on me. He grabbed me and then he slapped me. I must have hit my head on the door. I woke up alone on the floor in front of your room. I just need to sit down for a minute. I feel light-headed but I'm okay."

Ward scooped her up into his arms without a second thought and carried her to the elevator. He hit the button for their floor with his elbow and then reached into his pants' pocket for his phone. Ward called Agent Coulson as they rode up to their floor.

Coulson was asleep but quickly snapped to attention. "Agent Coulson."

"This is Ward. I'm with Skye. She's been attacked. I am on my way up to our floor now."

"Bring her to my room. I'll get the rest of the team here."

"Yes, sir," said Ward.

He ended the call and looked down at Skye's pale face. He couldn't understand what was going on but he would find out. When he walked out of the elevator May and Coulson were already there waiting for him.

Coulson said, "Bring Skye into my room. Simmons and Fitz are on their way. Simmons will examine Skye."

Ward followed them into Coulson's hotel room and laid Skye on the bed. He said, "She passed out in the elevator. She said that she woke up on the floor in front of my room. She's bleeding from the back of her head."

Simmons and Fitz walked into the room with their equipment. Jemma rushed over to the bed and began examining Skye.

Coulson said, "Ward, go talk to hotel security. We need to see the surveillance footage for our floor, the lobby, and the outside of the hotel."

Grant looked at Skye's unconscious body and couldn't seem to get his feet to move. His mouth went dry and he looked at Coulson unsure of what to say.

Agent May said, "I'll take care of it."

Ward gave her an appreciative look and then turned his gaze back to Skye.

* * *

**8. The Vampire in the Flower Dress**

* * *

While Skye rested in her bunk, everyone else stood in Agent Coulson's office watching the surveillance footage from the hotel for the fifth time. They watched as the woman in the flower dress drew vial after vial of Skye's blood while she was unconscious.

The woman was obviously aware of the placement of the cameras because her face was only seen in profile. It wasn't good enough to run through the face recognition software. The man that assaulted Skye was less careful but face recognition software didn't turn up any viable matches. The closest match was a deceased man and that was only a 50% match. Coulson called it into the Hub to have it checked more thoroughly but he was not optimistic about the results.

Fitz said, "I retrieved wood splinters from the door. Skye had to have hit the door at a high velocity to have caused that kind of damage."

Jemma said, "That explains the bruising I found on her back during the examination. She is very lucky that her injuries weren't more serious."

"I think this person had superhuman strength."

Jemma sighed, "Fitz, I do hate how everyone jumps to flights of fancy before considering normal scientific answers."

Coulson said, "Let's withhold judgment until we have more data."

"Thank you," exclaimed Jemma.

Fitz asked, "Agent Ward, why didn't you hear Skye knocking on your door?"

Ward grimaced and ground his teeth without answering.

"Ward?"

Agent Coulson said, "You're all dismissed."

Jemma was a little better at reading social situations than Fitz. She flashed a bright smile, "Come along, Fitz. I need your help."

He looked confused, "With what?"

She said, "Just come on." Jemma took his hand and led him out of the office.

Phil walked around his desk and had a seat once he was alone with Agents Ward and May.

Ward said, "I wasn't in my room because I was with Agent May."

Coulson said, "I know. I watched all of the footage from the hallway before everyone else. I am more interested in why Skye ran away from you when she obviously needed help. You're her S.O. and normally she feels safe going to you for help."

The younger man swallowed nervously and said, "I had inappropriate contact with my trainee. I can only assume that she became upset because I spent the evening with Agent May."

It wasn't unusual for S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to fraternize. Their work was difficult and classified. It was better to date from within the company. It lowered the risk of the agency's secrets falling into the wrong hands. Normally, no one complained as long as you weren't on the same team or in the field together. However, there was a very distinct line drawn between supervising officers and officers in training. It was a gross abuse of power. Nevertheless, this revelation did clear up Skye's peculiar mood as of late.

Coulson said, "You're confined to quarters for the time being, Agent Ward. We will discuss this later."

"I understand, sir. Agent Coulson, I would really like to check on Skye first."

He smiled, "I was hoping that you would."

Ward nodded at Coulson and then exited his office.

May asked, "Do you think this has anything to do with Skye's parents?"

"I can't be sure but that makes unraveling the mystery surrounding them even more important. Skye could be in grave danger and we don't even know why."

May asked, "What are you going to do about Ward?"

Coulson said, "I am going to trust him to sort it out on his own. He is smart enough to figure out the right way around things."

* * *

**9. Ice and Fire**

* * *

Grant walked to Skye's bunk and stood outside for a minute. He was unsure if she was asleep or not. Asleep would be easier for him to handle. Ward wasn't an idiot. He knew his actions of late hurt Skye deeply. He couldn't really explain them either. She reached out to him in the bar. He wanted to take her up on the offer but he worried a shoulder would turn into a tumble between the sheets. Ward wasn't selfish enough to put Skye through that kind of pain a second time.

The irony of the situation was not lost on him. He stayed away from Skye in an attempt to spare her feelings but it all went so horribly wrong. Now she was hurting emotionally and physically. His top priority was keeping his team safe and tonight one of their own was attacked while he got his kicks.

He didn't bother knocking on the door just in case Skye was asleep. Ward didn't want to take the chance of waking her up. He walked into the tiny space and saw Skye curled up into a ball.

He sat down on her bunk gently as to not wake her up. Images of their night together flashed in his head. However, what stuck with him the most were the tears in Skye's eyes tonight as she ran away from him after the attack. He damaged the relationship between them so much that she ran away from him when she was in trouble.

"What do you want?" asked Skye.

Ward was shocked that Skye was still awake. He was certain that she would be asleep by now given what she'd been through.

"I wanted to see if you were feeling any better."

She rolled over so that she was facing Ward. Skye said, "My head hurts and I feel weak."

"You have a concussion so that headache is going to stick around for awhile. I've had more than my share over the years. The weakness you are feeling is because of the blood you lost. It should go away in a few days."

Skye laughed, "A few days? That's great."

He said, "About tonight…"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Ward. I get it. You are seeing Agent May. That's why what we did was such a bad idea. I can't believe I acted like a high school girl with a crush."

Ward could have easily allowed Skye to continue to believe her theory. It was plausible enough under the circumstances. Tonight wasn't the first time he shared Melinda May's bed. However, he could not allow Skye to believe a lie that would cause her more pain.

"Tonight wasn't what you think. I am not dating May. It was an impulse reaction. I needed someone to talk to after everything that happened and she was there. She understands. Skye, I care about you. The night we shared wasn't a mistake because I don't return your feelings. It was a mistake because I do. Look at what happened tonight. You were scared and needed my help but you ran away from me. I'm your S.O. your first instinct should be to run to me. This is what I was trying to avoid by saying that we should forget about that night."

Skye said, "It was."

"What?"

"When I woke up on the floor, I knocked on your door first. When you didn't answer the door I gave up and went to May's room because I was scared that something happened to you," said Skye.

Ward hadn't paid attention to the surveillance video. The guilt was eating at him too much to watch after seeing Skye crumple to the ground after being slapped. He reached out and brushed her hair away from her eyes so that he could see her properly. He winced seeing the forming bruise.

"What are you talking about? Why did you go to my room in the first place?"

Skye said, "Initially, I went to your room to cheer you up. I was worried about you being on your own. When you didn't answer the door I was worried that maybe that Asgardian staff made you do something to hurt yourself or maybe you were just in a bad way. When I woke up you were the first person on my mind."

He sighed and said, "That is a problem. I am supposed to look after you. It isn't supposed to work the other way around."

"We're team, Ward. Being part of a team means worrying about everyone and taking care of each other. Fitz told us a million times how he kicked a guy's head off to save you. Agent Coulson formed this team because we all brought something to it. We're supposed to work together. No one person needs to always do the saving or else who will save you when you really need it."

Grant thought back to Melinda stopping him from picking up the staff at the monastery. Her words to him were '_Let me help'_. It was such a simple phrase but it was a difficult thing for him to do. Grant was used to working on his own and he was good at that. His childhood taught him to rely on himself.

"I'm no good at this, Skye. I'll hurt you."

Skye sat up in the bed and said, "I've been hurt worse before. I miss having you as a friend."

He said, "I am always your friend, Skye. You need to lie down. You'll start feeling lightheaded if you stay upright for too long."

She laid back down and allowed Ward to tuck her in. When he moved to get up, she reached for his hand and asked, "Would you stay a little longer? Just as a friend."

Ward thought about his direct orders from Coulson and said, "I promise that I will be back soon."

Skye said, "Okay."

She laid there and wondered who would want her blood and why. It was such a creepy crime that it had to be significant. She sat up straight in the bed remembering something freaky about the man that hit her. His eye flashed red before he hit her. That definitely wasn't normal. She tried to remember anything else out of the ordinary but was drawing a blank and making her head hurt in the process. Skye put in her earbuds and decided to get some rest.

Sometime later Skye jolted when she felt someone sitting on her bunk. She opened her eyes and smiled seeing that Ward was back. Skye took out her earbuds and said, "You came back."

He smiled, "I said that I would. I just needed to get a shower and change clothes."

Skye said, "Oh, I bled on yours. I'm sorry about that."

Ward laughed, "I'm used to my clothes getting blood stains. Move over."

She gave him an odd look but scooted over to make room for him.

Ward laid down in the bunk with Skye and asked, "What were you listening to when I came in?"

"An audio book. Lame, huh?"

"No, not at all. What book is it?"

"It is called _A Storm of Swords_. It is part of the series A Song of Ice and Fire."

He chuckled, "Game of Thrones."

"I'm surprised you even know about the show," said Skye.

"I read the books first and now I catch the show from time to time. Do you mind if I listen with you?"

She handed Ward one of the earbuds and moved closer so that they could both listen.

He put the earbud into his ear and put an arm around Skye to bring her closer.

Skye didn't know how to feel about the situation but she was too tired to think it through. For now, it was comforting to have Ward near her even if it was just as a friend.

* * *

**10. The Shadows of the Past**

* * *

Long after Skye fell asleep for the night Ward slipped out of her bunk. He took the earbud out of her ear and tucked her in before leaving. His eyes widened seeing Coulson sitting in the dark waiting for him to emerge. He felt a bit like a teenager getting caught sneaking in after curfew. The only difference was that Coulson wasn't an irate father, he was Ward's superior and could change the trajectory of his career for better or worse.

Agent Coulson said, "Nice of you to join me, Grant."

Ward thought about what to say but there was really no good explanation. He said, "I know that you said I was confined to quarters and normally I would never disobey a direct order but I didn't feel right leaving Skye on her own, not with how we left things. I'm still her S.O. until you change that."

"Does this mean you two have worked out whatever problems you have?"

Ward was surprised by Coulson's question. It wasn't exactly what he was expecting to hear. He stumbled over his answer, "I-I think so."

"Then I don't need any further details. You are a good agent. I knew you would figure it out. You can consider your confinement over. You should get some rest. We've got a case first thing in the morning."

Ward said, "Thank you, sir. It is a good thing that I spent some time with her tonight. She was able to tell me more about the man from the surveillance video. Skye remembered that he addressed her by name before he hit her and his eye flashed red. It was like a digital flash. That wasn't random. They were targeting her."

Coulson nodded and said, "Thank you for telling me."

Ward placed his hands on the back of the couch and stared in disbelief. Coulson didn't seem surprised by this revelation in the least.

He asked, "You already knew she was targeted by these people? Why didn't you say anything to her? What kind of danger is Skye in?"

"I didn't know before tonight but I did after seeing all of the surveillance footage. They broke into her room while she was around the corner at your door. Coming across her in the hallway was just a stroke of luck."

He walked around and had a seat on the couch. He shook his head. "This doesn't make any sense. Why would they want Skye's blood?"

Coulson said, "I'm not sure but I intend to find out. I haven't mentioned it to her because she doesn't know anymore about her past than we do."

That wasn't strictly the truth. Coulson knew a great deal more about Skye than she knew about herself. However, Grant's connection to her might make him feel the need to share information she was better off not knowing. For now the information he possessed was need-to-know.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi Everyone! I loved all of the great feedback for Chapter 2. It is great to know that so many people are following the story. I'm about 90% complete writing the entire story. In total there will be about 8 or 9 chapters. That means there will be a brand new update next Wednesday as scheduled. Things are about to get very interesting for SkyeWard.**

* * *

**11. Déjà Vu**

* * *

Melinda May was up at 4AM working out on the heavy bag. She had a lot on her mind. Working out was one of the activities that helped her filter out the noise and focus on what was important. Their team would be in danger until she figured out the threat against Skye.

She was irritated that Coulson was tying her hands behind her back. She was limited on the resources she could use without raising red flags. Moreover, she felt as if he was holding something back, but then he had been unsettled since he formed their team. He was deeply affected by what happened to him after New York and his inability to make sense of it all. Phil would never admit it but she knew he was scared something terrible happened to him.

Phil Coulson wasn't a man that could live with uncertainty. He was like a hound dog. He wouldn't give up until he figured out what happened to him. In the meantime, she needed to find at least one surviving agent to shed some light on Skye's origin. However, that was proving easier said than done. She learned of one living agent that worked with Agent Avery on the case. However, the mysterious man left S.H.I.E.L.D. years ago and went off the grid.

Grant walked into the room and said, "I guess great minds think alike. I was going to work out for a while. I couldn't sleep much after last night."

He hadn't slept at all. There was too much on his mind. He was worried about Skye and confused about how to proceed. Grant didn't know how he could continue to pretend he didn't want to be with her. He felt his chest tighten whenever he was near her. It took all of his willpower to leave her bed last night. However, there was another matter he needed to take care of first today.

Melinda looked over her shoulder and said, "I'm done here. I am about to hit the shower. It's all yours."

Ward reached out and touched her arm. "Melinda, we need to talk."

She hissed and pulled away from Grant like she'd be touched by a live wire. She said, "Not here."

He sighed and asked, "Then where?"

May looked toward the empty lab and said, "In there…" Simmons and Fitz would be asleep for at least another 3 hours. Neither scientist was an early riser.

Ward followed May into the lab and watched as she took off her gloves. He didn't know exactly what to say. This wasn't the first time he'd shared May's bed but he knew it would be the last. He thought of himself as an honorable man but he felt anything but lately. He said, "About last night…"

"It was one night and it is over. It was fun, Grant. Don't make it more than it needs to be. I think we both know that you have feelings for someone else on this plane."

May was a complicated person and she had a cold exterior but she wasn't a machine. She cared for Ward, but May was realistic. She had held no illusions about what the previous night meant for the two of them. Grant needed to unburden himself and to drown his sorrows. That is all last night was and all it could ever be because she saw the look on his face when he heard Skye's voice outside her door. He was afraid of the panic he heard in Skye's voice. That wasn't the look of a concerned teammate. She also saw the look of helplessness on his face in Coulson's hotel room as he looked at Skye's unconscious body.

It would have been difficult to ignore Skye's obvious crush on Ward. May noticed the girl's lovesick expression weeks ago. She was obviously infatuated with Grant. However, it wasn't until last night that May realized the feeling was mutual.

He asked, "Are we okay?" Grant valued Melinda's friendship. He didn't want to lose that because of a poor decision.

She smiled. "The same as we ever were, Ward."

Ward looked relieved. "Great. I wouldn't want this to affect our working relationship or friendship."

May nodded and started to leave the lab but stopped. "Ward, protocols exist for a reason but sometimes you give up something you can't so easily get back. Make sure your sacrifice is worth it. In the end we only regret the risks we didn't take."

Melinda didn't stick around for questions. She had already said too much but felt it was something Grant needed to hear. There was a time when she was a S.H.I.E.L.D. trainee and she too fell for her supervising officer. Working for S.H.I.E.L.D. often meant being isolated from family and friends. The agency became your entire life. Your team became your family.

It was only natural for people in close quarters to be attracted to one another. When you worked with someone everyday for weeks and months at a time, you grow attached to them in the most curious, and at times inappropriate, ways.

That sentiment was never truer than the relationship between trainee and supervising officer. As a trainee, you come to depend on your S.O. for guidance, support, and in some strange way even affection and love. Under the right circumstances, that affection could blossom into something greater.

May could vividly remember the first night she spent with her S.O. and the moment he broke her heart. He chose to remain her S.O. instead of pursuing a relationship they both wanted. It left May heartbroken and perhaps instilled the wrong value in her. They remained friends and vowed to put the indiscretion behind them but it left a hole in her heart.

Melinda's connections with sex were now just ephemeral. She refused to ever to let her heart get involved again. Melinda saw the error in her ways but felt powerless to change it. Too much had happened to her in the interim. She had seen too much blood and suffered in unimaginable ways to ever get close to anyone. Being committed to someone meant being vulnerable and she never would again. However, she didn't want Ward and Skye to suffer the same fate.

Coulson walked into her path and touched her arm. There was a spark there. There always was. He said, "May, I need to have a word with you."

She grimaced and for just a moment felt off kilter. She delved too deeply into her past and for a moment, it bled into her present when Coulson walked into her sight line. Their past lingered like a shadow just out of sight. "I was on my way to the shower. Can this wait?"

Phil said, "No."

May shrugged off his touch. She walked with him into his office and asked, "What's going?"

"We need to get Skye's blood off this plane. Simmons came to me last night asking if she could run the tests on Skye's blood since we weren't en route to our next case yet. She is curious about why anyone would want to steal Skye's blood. We both know what Simmons will find if she tests the blood or God forbid, she attempts to log it into the S.H.I.E.L.D. database. It will be flagged immediately and she will become suspicious as to why it is above her clearance level. We can't just take the samples to the Hub. They need to go to the Fridge where they will just disappear."

She said, "After my shower I'll set a course for the Fridge."

Phil said, "Thank you."

* * *

**12. Abracadabra**

* * *

Skye pulled her shirt on over her sports bra and said, "Thank you for looking at my back and arm, Simmons. It feels much better than it did last night. I thought for sure something was broken. I felt like a Mack Truck hit me. You are a miracle worker."

Jemma said, "I didn't do anything out of the ordinary. I gave the standard treatment for your injuries. You are healing remarkably well. In fact, you are healing much faster than I anticipated. However, Agent Coulson is still putting you on restricted duty for a week. No field work for you."

The brunette agent shrugged and hopped off the examination table. "I've always been a fast healer. I guess I just have good genetics that way. Although, I don't know much about that. I have always wondered if I should do one of those ancestry DNA tests. You take a cheek swab and send it into a lab and they tell you about your ancestral heritage. They even have a database that can connect you with people that are possibly related. I mean it is a long shot but maybe I might find a long lost cousin or…"

Jemma stopped writing in Skye's chart and asked, "Your parents?"

Skye picked at the electronic monitoring bracelet. "It's silly. You would think after all of this time finding my parents wouldn't matter to me so much. I am well past the age of needing parents. I'm an adult. I have a great life now."

Simmons frowned seeing the thinly veiled sadness in Skye's eyes. "Don't be absurd. My father is such an important part of my life. I cannot tell him so many things about my life now that sometimes it makes talking to him difficult but I wouldn't trade our talks for anything in the world."

"You're lucky."

Jemma squeezed Skye's hand and said, "Agent Coulson is going to help you find your parents, Skye."

Skye said, "I wouldn't know what to say to them. They abandoned me in such a way that a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent recovered me. They don't exactly sound like June and Ward Cleaver but something is better than nothing."

Jemma said, "Maybe they didn't abandon you at all. You might have been orphaned because they were killed. It had to be something drastic for S.H.I.E.L.D. to be involved."

"Like Batman? I was wondering if the agent that dropped me off was my mother but Agent Coulson didn't think that was likely. I hate feeling like I am hitting a dead end. I've waited forever to find out the truth and I'm still waiting." She sighed, "I should go. I wanted to talk to A.C. about what happened last night. I am also hoping I can convince him to let me out into the field. I feel much better. Will you let me know when you have finished the tests on my blood?"

Jemma said, "I won't be performing the tests on your blood. Agent Coulson informed me that he would prefer if the tests were conducted offsite. We dropped your samples off at the Fridge earlier. He wants Fitz and me to be able to concentrate on our next case. S.H.I.E.L.D. detected an unusual energy surge last night. We're going to investigate it to see if we have visitors. Perhaps Thor has come for a visit."

Skye lit up hearing that Thor might be on Earth. She grinned and said, "Well, you two are the brains of the operation. I really want to meet Thor. He is amazing. Would it be weird if I asked for an autograph? That is weird, right? Definitely, weird. Thanks, Simmons. Do I need to keep this sling on?"

"You just need to wear it until I get to look over your new scans. If they are clean then you can stop wearing the sling. It is just a precaution."

She nodded. "I'll be sure to follow doctor's orders."

Jemma watched as Skye walked out of the lab and frowned. Something had been bothering Simmons during the examination. She called up Skye's scans from the previous night and studied them. She was certain that last night she saw hairline fractures in Skye's radial and ulna bones. A second set of scans from this afternoon didn't show the anomalies. However, looking at the two pictures side by side revealed that the young doctor had not been mistaken. Skye clearly had hairline fractures last night.

Fitz walked into the room and said, "We should be landing in a couple hours. I can't wait to get to New York and see what produced that massive energy burst. I've never seen anything like it before." He frowned and looked at his girlfriend. "Jemma, are you listening to me?"

"Fitz, come and look at these and tell me what you see." Jemma zoomed out as not to draw Fitz's attention to anything. She wanted his unbiased opinion.

He said, "I see a fracture to the radial bone." Fitz tilted his head sideways and added, "I also see a smaller hairline fracture in the ulna. Are those Skye's scans?"

"Yes, they are Skye's scans. Now tell me what you see here."

Fitz looked at Jemma oddly but obliged her. He fastidiously studied the second scans and then frowned. "I see a perfectly healthy radial bone. The same for the ulna. Why do you ask?"

"The fracture is from last night and the healthy scan is from this afternoon."

"That's impossible," said Fitz. He took a closer look at the scans and scratched his head.

Simmons replied, "It should be impossible but here we stand looking at it. Skye had two hairline fractures last night and they have miraculously healed. The bruises on her back are nearly completely healed as well. All of the swelling is gone. This is…"

Fitz suggested, "Strange."

"Very. I want to test her blood to see if there is some plausible explanation. Perhaps the woman injected Skye with something. The strength than man showed has led Agent Coulson to believe this has something to do with Project Centipede."

Fitz said, "Well, let's start the tests. I'll help and we'll get done quicker."

Simmons shook her head. "I have direct orders from Agent Coulson not test Skye's blood. He would like for us to be prepared for whatever we might encounter in New York. The samples to drew last night were dropped off at the Fridge."

"Did you voice your concerns to Skye?"

"No, Agent Coulson didn't want to worry her. The tests results will come back in a matter of hours. He said that we can tell Skye once we know there is something worth mentioning." Jemma couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had but it wasn't her place to question Agent Coulson. He was their fearless leader and had proven that he only had their best interest at heart.

Fitz nodded. "That is the right decision. She has been through a lot. The poor dear. We should get our equipment ready."

Simmons nodded. "You're right we should. We should take extra cartridges for the Night Night gun just in case our visitor isn't friendly."

"I wonder if the Night Night gun would even work on an Asgardian."

Simmons pondered his query. "I don't know. Asgardian anatomy is very similar to our own but does have some interesting differences. Agent Coulson was able to restart Professor's Randolph's heart through internal cardiac massage. That would suggest that their circulatory system is incredibly similar as well and probably works the same as ours."

* * *

** 13. Equilibrium**

* * *

After his workout, Ward took a hot shower and tried to figure out what to say to Skye. Last night was simple because she just needed comfort. However, in the bright light of day Ward worried that deeper answers would be required. Honestly, he had done a lot of soul searching over night.

Skye had unintentionally turned his life upside down. Things that made sense just a few months ago no longer made sense. Rules he would have never considered breaking were all now fair game. Skye was embedded under his skin and he didn't know how to shake her. He didn't want to shake her.

Seeing Skye injured last night awakened something primal in Grant. He wanted to protect her but there was more to it than that. Grant wanted her.

She was unorthodox, quirky, and at times immature but he would gladly take all of that. Those qualities were what made Skye unique. However, he would be lying if he said Skye being his trainee was his only obstacle. Ward wasn't good at relationships. His inability to commit was what made his arrangement with May work. Neither of them was looking for anything serious. There was no chance of anyone getting hurt. A relationship with Skye had the ability to blow up in both of their faces and cause them a lot of pain. Moreover, a failed relationship would almost guarantee that one of them would be reassigned. He had witnessed it with other agents in the past.

Grant took a deep breath and walked to Skye's bunk. He lightly rapped on the door and then walked in. He felt like he would stop breathing when his eyes fell onto a shirtless Skye. He whirled around to avert his eyes. "Sorry. I should have waited for permission to enter your quarters."

Skye laughed softly and pulled on an oversized sweatshirt. "I don't think there is any reason to be modest, Ward. You have already seen me naked. I'm decent now. You can turn around."

Ward turned around and said, "It was still inappropriate to just barge in here. I just assumed that you'd be resting."

"I am going to rest by order of Agent Coulson. The only way I get to leave this plane is if I rest before we land. He said I can come with the team to investigate but I have to stay in the ops van. It is better than being stuck on the plane."

He tensed. Grant didn't like the idea of Skye going out into the field even if it was just to sit in the ops van. She had just lived through a major trauma the previous night. He couldn't get the surveillance video out of his head. Skye could have easily died during that attack.

Ward said, "It might be better for you to stay here. You need rest. A concussion is serious business. Besides, you're probably sore from the bruises."

"Not really. Simmons said that I'm mostly healed." Skye lifted up the back of her shirt to prove her point.

Grant flashed back to last night when Simmons examined Skye's injuries in Coulson's hotel room. The young woman's back was marred by red splotches, dark blue bruises, and small lacerations caused by the splintered wood. By the time, Ward visited Skye in the bunk her back was beginning to show signs of swelling and tenderness. He didn't understand how she had recovered in such a limited timeframe. He reached out without thought and touched her back to check for swelling.

Skye shivered under his touch and tried to keep her mind focused on their friendship. They were now firmly in the friend zone. She understood that was the only way things could work.

Ward pulled his hand back and said, "Well, you do look much better but you should still take it easy. You never know when the soreness or achiness will sneak up on you."

She smiled. "I'll keep that in mind. Was there a reason you came looking for me?"

He rubbed at the back of his neck and said, "I was hoping that we could talk."

Skye asked, "About?"

He sighed, "Everything."

Skye nodded and sat down. "What's on your mind?"

"I'm jerk and I'm sorry. I handled things with you horribly. I care about you, Skye. I'm attracted to you. I don't want you to think the things I said to you were a lie because of what you saw last night. May and I are just friends…"

She chuckled. "With benefits?"

He took a breath and nodded. "Yes, but we have never been anything serious. I just want you to know what happened last night between May and I will never happen again."

Skye gazed into Grant's eyes and saw the sincerity of his words. "Why? You said that we couldn't be together because you are my supervising officer. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I can't stand being the one to make you cry, Skye. I'm strong enough to handle a lot of things but that isn't one of them. Just because what I did wasn't wrong doesn't mean that it was right. I have a solution. What do you think about asking Agent Coulson to be your supervising officer? I can date a trainee. I just can't date my trainee."

Skye wanted to throw her arms around Grant's neck and say yes but there was something nagging at her. She didn't want him to do this out of guilt. She said, "You were just sleeping with May last night. I think you should think this through. I don't think I could take you changing your mind again, Ward."

Ward couldn't blame Skye for doubting his intentions. He took a step forward and gently pulled her up off the bed. Ward rested one hand on her hip and the other sought out Skye's uninjured hand. He interlaced their fingers making their palms touch.

She felt a bolt of electricity reverberate through her body. Grant was the only man that had that affect on her. He had the ability to make her lose all sense of time and reason and leave her speechless with something as simple as a touch. Skye felt a little light headed but she didn't know if that was the concussion or Grant. She was going to choose to believe it was Ward's proximity.

He was careful to avoid the arm in the sling. He didn't want to ruin this moment by accidentally hurting her. Ward could feel his heart racing a mile a minute and his hands were starting to get a little clammy. He was about to jump in with both feet and that was dangerous but he couldn't resist Skye.

Ward pulled Skye into a close embrace and softly kissed her lips. The kiss was tender and lustful at the same time. There was no denying Ward's desire for her. In other more private settings, this kiss would be a prelude to much more.

When Ward finally pulled back from the kiss Skye struggled to catch her breath and had an almost dazed expression on her face.

She stared up into his eyes a little awestruck and unsure of what to say. It took several moments for her senses to return.

However, Ward patiently waited for Skye to collect herself. He rested his forehead against hers and lightly rubbed her hip just because he didn't want to lose that physical connection.

"I don't want you to stop being my S.O., Ward. I like working with you - learning from you."

Grant felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach because that was not the answer he was expecting. He supposed it was presumptuous on his part to assume that Skye wouldn't value her career as much as he did. He didn't move. He couldn't move. "I …"

Skye cut him off by planting a gentle kiss just below his Adam's apple. "I'm greedy. I want the best of both worlds."

He looked down into Skye's mischievous brown eyes and asked, "What do you mean?"

She said, "I cannot believe that a world-class S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and a top-notch hacker can't figure out how to have a clandestine relationship. I only have five months of training left. We can keep this a secret if we really try."

Grant's eyes widened but he silently consider Skye's proposition. It would be difficult but certainly not impossible. He didn't really want to stop being Skey's supervising officer. He wanted to guarantee that if Skye was ever accosted again that she could put up more than a fight than she did last night. Being an agent was rife with danger. Everything Grant knew about being an agent he learned from the legendary Agent John Garrett. If he could pass on one iota of what the man had taught him to Skye, she would make a spectacular agent. However, the possibility of Agent Coulson catching wind of their relationship would be looming over their heads. Grant was the one with the most to lose. He could be reassigned or demoted if Agent Coulson decided to follow protocol.

Skye chewed her lip nervously and looked up into his eyes. "What do you think, Grant?"

Ward removed his hand from her hip and lightly ran his thumb over her bottom lip. He said, "If we do this then we have to keep it off the bus. That is the only way to minimize our exposure. That means our time together like this will be limited."

She said, "It is better than not at all or having AC as my supervising officer. I think we can do it, Ward. I know that we can."

He sighed but then smiled. "I guess that means that I should leave your bunk. I wouldn't want to raise any suspicions. Agent Coulson asked if we'd settled our differences when I left your bunk last night. I told him that we had. We need to keep up appearances."

Skye nodded and leaned up to kiss him one last time. Afterward she smiled. "A little risk is always thrilling."

Ward chuckled softly and then reached up taking off simple silver chain. There was a small circular pendant with some type of tree on it. He put in on Skye and then smiled at her.

She asked, "What's this? I've never seen you wear it before."

He said, "It's always tucked into my shirt if I'm wearing it. It is a Celtic medallion. That is an alder tree. My grandmother gave it to me when I was younger. She said the alder tree stands for courage and perseverance."

Skye ran her fingers over etched metal. "I can't accept this, Grant."

Ward said, "Yes, you can. I want you to have it." He kissed her. "I should go. I'll see you during the briefing."

After he was gone, Skye looked down at the medallion and grinned.

* * *

**14. Epitaph**

* * *

The operations van slowly drove up a quarter mile long driveway. Mature trees bordered each side of the winding road. The trees' long limbs stretched out overhead and made a canopy. It was easy to imagine how beautiful it would look if it wasn't already autumn. Converted wrought iron street lamps were placed strategically along the path to light the way.

As they approached the end of the winding driveway, a two-story English cottage came into view. On one side of the house, there was a massive English garden. On the other side was a moderately sized man-made babbling brook. However, the place had an eerie deserted feeling.

Agent Coulson exited the van and took out his gun. He didn't know what they would discover but it was always better to be prepared. Coulson recognized the large circle that often appeared when an Asgardian arrived. He reached down to touch part of the indentation.

When he straightened up Coulson motioned for May and Ward to take the sides of the house and he would focus on the front of the house.

The agents searched the property vigilantly but all came up empty handed. They regrouped at the front of the house to compare notes.

Ward holstered his gun and said, "It is obvious that someone maintains the property but from the looks inside I would wager no one lives here. I don't think anyone has ever lived here. All of the furniture looks brand new and unused. I didn't find any clothes or personal belongings in the upstairs' bedrooms. Do we know anything about the owner of the property?"

Coulson replied, "Skye is investigating that at the moment. There may not be any residents here but if someone was here we need to ensure their safety and debrief them about what they saw."

The world still wasn't quite ready to deal with aliens from outer space roaming freely. Thor and his compatriots were trusted guardians but on the other hand, there were individuals like Loki and the Chitauri that were cause for concern. S.H.I.E.L.D. was still fielding calls from neurotic politicians from across the globe demanding answers in connection with the damage caused by the berseker staff. Centuries of thinking we were alone were shattered and humans weren't adapting well.

Ward walked over to a large tree and touched its trunk. "This looks like the oldest tree out here. It is huge in comparison to the others. It looks like the energy burst damaged it a little. It's freshly splintered."

"It is curious that all of the trees are Yoshino cherry trees," Coulson remarked. "I noticed that on the drive up here. They are not native to this area."

Melinda said, "There is some sort of commemorative plaque here on the ground." She stooped down to get a better look at the plaque. A moon and stars were etched into the metal and it was engraved with a language that she did not recognize. "This looks like a memorial plaque."

Coulson joined May and Ward at the tree to get a better look at the plaque. "Any idea what it says?" He took a picture of it for Simmons to Fitz to analyze later.

The other two agents shook their heads. Although, Ward thought the script reminded him of something he had seen somewhere. However, at the moment he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Well, there is nothing to find here. We should start talking to residents in town. This is a very small community. I think they would notice an Asgardian in their midst. Director Fury is expecting an update in two hours. I'd like to have something pertinent to tell him," said Coulson.

The agents returned to the van where Fitz and Simmons were excitedly waiting for them. The young agents were chomping at the bit to begin their part of the investigation.

Coulson, "It is safe for the two of you to start your work. There is no one here."

Simmons smiled brightly as she picked up her kit and started toward the giant circle on the front lawn. She was excited to have the opportunity to document every inch of this fascinating phenomenon. Simmons craved to understand how it all worked. She wondered how Asgardians were able to travel between worlds when humans were still struggling to figure out how to sends astronauts to Mars and retrieve them. She could only assume their races were light years ahead of them in technology.

Skye climbed out of the van.

Ward asked, "Did you find anything useful, Skye?" He tried to appear matter of fact but Ward wasn't comfortable with her being in the field. It also didn't help that they'd decide to have a relationship but hide it from Coulson. He smiled a little seeing the silver chain peeking out the back of her shirt. Ward liked knowing that she was wearing it.

She said, "We're lucky. The county has digitized their property records. A Christine Collins owns this place. She has owned this property since 1980. Building plans were submitted to the county in 2003. All of this wasn't here before then according to the records and the pictures submitted with the plans. It was a pile of rubble prior to 2003."

Coulson said, "Well, it isn't likely the owner of the house knows anything about our intergalactic visitor. Considering the Asgardian hasn't tried to reach out to S.H.I.E.L.D. we may need to consider that he or she may be hostile."

Ward asked, "Loki?"

"I think he would have already made his presence known by now. He isn't known for keeping a low profile, but I won't eliminate him as a suspect. May is going to stay here with Fitz and Simmons. Skye and Ward you are going to accompany me into town to investigate. Let's go."

Ward waited for Skye to climb into the van but realized she was distracted. He followed her gaze to the oldest cherry tree on the property.

Skye stared at the tree in disbelief. The tree was familiar to Skye but she couldn't figure out why. She wasn't exactly a budding arborist so it wasn't that she recognized the genus or species.

"Skye?" asked Agent Coulson. He was concerned by the dazed expression on the young woman's face. He wondered if it was too soon for her to be off the bus. She did suffer a concussion the previous night.

She snapped out of her thoughts. "Sorry. That's a beautiful tree." Skye climbed into the van and got settled for their ride into town.

Phil looked at Ward and said, "Keep an eye on her. If your gut tells you something is wrong let me know and we'll take her back to the bus."

Ward nodded, "I will."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi Everyone! I want to apologize in advance for Chapter 4 being a little longer than the others. it was necessary to set up the big pieces for the next chapter (the next chapter is a game changer). I'd like to thank everyone that took the time to review, favorite, or follow this story. It is great knowing that so many people are enjoying this. There are mentions of cases the team has worked. We are getting closer to the reveal of identity of Skye's parents. I am still on schedule writing this story so a new chapter will be posted next Wednesday. **

* * *

**15. Night Terrors**

* * *

Skye woke up in a cold sweat for the sixth night in a row. She turned her palm upward and a fireball appeared and illuminated her bunk. She looked around the space with a deep sense of disappointment. Skye knew it was illogical but she kept expecting to see the woman in green when she awakened. She closed her hand and the fireball extinguished once again plunging her into darkness.

She couldn't figure out who the woman was or why her dreams seemed so detailed and real. She talked to Grant about his experience with the staff and he said he saw images from his past. He refused to elaborate beyond that. He also didn't mention any strange dreams but then again it was doubtful that he would share that type of information.

Skye couldn't remember having ever seen this woman before. She was a regal vision of beauty and strength. It seemed unlikely that Skye would forget such a memorable person.

The battle scene was also something of a mystery. She was certain she never witnessed any epic battles in her childhood aside from some spirited food fights. An event of that scale would have stuck out against the gray backdrop of foster care. She didn't understand how the woman in green fit into her past, but she was determined to find out.

She exited her bunk and went to get a bottle of water. Like every other night this week, it was doubtful she would be able to fall asleep anytime soon. She leaned against the counter and drank her water.

Skye closed her eyes and imagined the beautiful woman. She wished that she could describe the strange experience to a member of her team but she couldn't risk the possibility of landing in hot water. Skye wondered if the woman had some connection to her parents. Since their trip to the Hub, she had quietly combed through the S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel records.

Her life would be a lot easier if Agent Coulson got rid of the digital monitor on her wrist but he refused. He still didn't trust her and she didn't know if he would again. Her position on the team was still tentative following that stunt she pulled to protect Miles. Fitz and Simmons had forgiven her whole-heartedly. Ward chalked it up to a youthful indiscretion but Coulson and May were a different story. She felt like they were waiting for her to mess up again. Skye often caught them watching her. Sometimes they even stopped talking when she walked into a room.

As soon as the bracelet came off her first order of business would be to contact Professor Randolph. He was Asgardian and the staff belonged to him. He might be able to explain the strange visions and dreams. However, she would have to be careful. She didn't want Agent Coulson finding out about her inquiries.

"Skye?"

Startled by the sudden noise she dropped her bottle of water. Skye's eyes snapped open and she relaxed seeing Ward standing in front of her. She offered a small smile to cover her nervousness.

He bent down and picked up the bottle. "I didn't mean to scare you. Are you okay? You are usually not up this early. Normally, I have the run of the place at this time of the morning."

"It's okay. I shouldn't have been standing here in the dark. I didn't think anyone would be awake yet. I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep any longer."

"I'm not surprised. Having a realm-jumping psychopath on the plane with us can't be good for a good night's rest, but he's gone now, Skye. You don't have to be scared."

She nodded, "I know. I just feel bad for him. He made one mistake and everything went so terribly wrong. He hurt people he never meant to hurt and he lost himself in the process. Maybe falling in love isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Ward moved so that he was standing beside Skye and covered her hand with his own. They were very careful about being affectionate on the bus but he was willing to take the risk since everyone was asleep.

He said, "Falling in love is worth it when it is the right person, but you don't need games or subterfuge. If it is right then that person will want you no matter what."

She smiled feeling Ward rub his thumb against the back of her hand. It wasn't much but she'd take it. Skye didn't realize how hard it would be to hide their relationship when she proposed this.

The pair fell into silence for a few minutes with Ward holding Skye's hand. Ward leaned in closer and rested his forehead against hers. He wanted to kiss her but knew better.

She asked, "Are you okay? Is your head okay?"

"My head is fine. I've had my fair share of concussions over the years. This one ranks somewhere in the middle of the list for severity. I'll live. How is your head feeling?"

She shrugged, "I'm all better now. The stitches itched for a while but they are gone now. I would have ripped them out myself if I didn't think Simmons would have had a coronary about her handiwork. Is there any news about the duo that attacked me at the hotel?"

Ward saw the hopeful look on her face and felt bad for not having any positive news. He couldn't understand why she was being targeted but he had a feeling Agent Coulson wasn't being completely forthcoming with either of them. Ward had approached May hoping she could shed some light on the situation but she shut him down immediately.

"No, Agent Coulson hasn't mentioned anything to me. He sent the evidence to the Hub for analysis. They will probably be able to find information that we can't. The Hub has better resources than we do here on the bus but that also means it takes longer to get the results back."

She sighed deeply, "I guess I just have to keep waiting for answers. It seems like that's all I do these days - wait. Well, I should get back to bed. I want another hour or two of rest before I get started for the day."

Ward nodded, "Good night or morning as the case may be. I'll see you when you get up again. Oh, I should give this back to you. We're lucky the cap was on or we would have had a spill to clean up."

Skye said, "Thanks."

"Oh and Skye…"

She turned around and looked at him. "Yeah?"

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Remember protecting you is my job."

She smiled. "And you are very good at your job."

Ward watched Skye disappear from sight and sighed to himself. He was great at his job but he couldn't say the same for his personal life. Skye's training was going according to schedule and she really seemed to be dedicated to it. She was soaking up his lessons like a sponge and doing a lot of studying even when they weren't training. However, their relationship wasn't making any progress. They had been stuck on the plane. Ward worried that Skye would regret their decision to keep the relationship quiet. Five months seemed like an eternity now.

Skye returned to her bunk and tried not be concerned about the odd look on Grant's face. Skye pulled out her laptop and went to a message board used by timepiece enthusiasts. She heard Agent Coulson say that Professor Randolph frequented the site. It was her only option to get in contact with the man that might be able to provide answers. He decided against going back to his teaching job after the fiasco surrounding the Asgardian staff. There was no telling where he might have relocated.

However, it was safe to assume his hobbies had not changed. Life would be so much easier if she could just hack into things. She could find him in mere minutes. Very few people could live their lives without leaving a digital trail. However, that avenue was closed to her until Agent Coulson decided to remove her internet nanny.

Skye got ready to close the laptop to get some sleep when inspiration struck her. The image of the woman from her dreams was burned into her brain. She had no doubt that she could draw her face from memory.

Skye searched her messenger bag and retrieved a sketchpad and large pencil case. She took her time drawing the woman from her dreams. It was a slow process because she didn't want to miss a single detail. After she finished sketching the woman's likeness, she began using pastels to bring the drawing to life.

When she was finally done, the picture was a great likeness of the woman. Skye stared at the picture and asked, "Who are you and what do you want from me?"

* * *

**16. Under Pressure**

* * *

Melinda May walked into the cockpit and got ready for takeoff. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent looked as if she had gone ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer. Nothing about this mission had gone to plan. Although, things not going to plan was a common occurrence when dealing with Project Centipede.

She found herself mildly envious of the younger agents on their team. Agent Coulson gave Grant, Skye, Jemma, and Leo a week of leave time. They would be enjoying the beautiful tropical weather of San Marcella while she and Phil conducted an off book investigation. However, they all deserved a break after the last week.

The team had been hard at work for days trying to locate the pair that attacked Skye at the hotel. The man was the easier target because they had a decent picture of his face from the hotel's surveillance cameras. S.H.I.E.L.D. finally confirmed the man's identity after taking an inordinate amount of time. Melinda was unsure if they were dragging their feet or just in disbelief.

Their mystery man turned out to be an ex-convict named Cyrus Walsh. He had an arrest record a mile long until he 'died' after trying to rob a pharmaceutical company's research and development lab. He was an orphan so there was no family member to claim his remains. His body was turned over to the state of New York for a pauper's burial.

When Coulson and company went to the cemetery on Hart Island, they found that no such grave existed. Cyrus' body was never interred there or anywhere else as far as they could tell.

Finding a 'dead' man posed a unique set of challenges. By design, this individual was living as far off the grid as possible. It was unlikely that he would risk using his former identity. He had no family that he might secretly try to contact. Cyrus was a man that didn't have many human connections in his life. He was never married and all of his known associates were either still in prison or were dead.

However, they didn't get a break in the case until Coulson unleashed Skye on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s system. The agency had developed a state of the art monitoring system that absorbed tons of data from surveillance cameras, traffic cameras, ATM cameras, government surveillance, social media sites, and every piece of digital media you could think of. The system was amazing but could sometimes be a blunt object when they needed a surgeon's precision.

Skye toiled non-stop to develop an algorithm that would help the system understand what they were looking for and in return, the machine was able to refine its searches to produce slimmer and more accurate results. It was easier sifting through a couple hundred pictures instead of a couple thousand.

Skye located Cyrus on surveillance footage taken outside a bar on San Marcella. He was spotted getting into what appeared to be a drunken fight with another man. The other man disappeared into the crowd and Cyrus was left behind. Phil and Melinda knew that fight as about much more.

The team flew there immediately and attempted to find Cyrus. Skye tracked him to seedy motel on the outskirts of town. However, when they arrived they walked into a trap. Coulson, May, and Ward were ambushed by Cyrus. An epic battle proceeded in which the hotel received severe damage and all three agents were in about the same shape.

Ward was able to get the best of Cyrus when he saw the stone wall of the hotel was about to crumble on top of them. Grant managed to get away but the man was pinned beneath the sizeable solidly constructed wall. When May and Coulson moved in to help take Cyrus into custody he died. It appeared that he was being controlled like Akela Amador. Whoever was monitoring Cyrus' activity activated the failsafe to keep him from being interrogated.

Melinda wondered what all of this was about and how they were supposed to keep Skye safe.

Agent Coulson walked into the cockpit and sat in the copilot's seat. He said, "I found Richard Lumely. He left San Marcella immediately following his fight with Cyrus Walsh but he was spotted on a hotel's surveillance cameras on the nearby island of Delfin. He is probably trying to regroup and figure out how he was found. We need to get to him before he has the opportunity to disappear again. We need answers. Cyrus attacking Richard was not a coincidence. He had to be looking for information about Skye."

May turned to face him and said, "I set a course for Delfin. We should be there within the hour."

Phil winced seeing the bruises and cuts on her face. "We should have let Simmons patch you up before she left the bus."

Melinda looked away. She hated the intensity and familiarity in Phil's voice when they were alone. Sometimes it tapped into memories that were better left in the past.

"I'm fine. It is all superficial. I don't have any broken bones and we don't have time to delay. The longer Lumley has time to prepare the less likely we are to find him before he falls off the grid again."

Phil studied Melinda and then replied, "We'll take care of those after we land." There was finality in his voice that made it clear there would be no arguments.

Even after all of this time he still cared deeply for Melinda. His near death experience was making him question many of his decisions. He sacrificed so much for this agency and one of those things was his relationship with Melinda. He tried dating other women after her but they were all poor understudies for his heart's true desire.

Phil could think of no one that knew him better than Melinda did. She knew when he was struggling and she could reach him when no one else could. There were so many times he wished that he could go back in time and do it all over. He would do it differently. He would choose Melinda over S.H.I.E.L.D. a million times, but the one time he didn't was the only one that counted.

* * *

**17. Paradise**

* * *

Grant couldn't help thinking that Skye looked more radiant than he had ever seen her before. Her long beautiful hair was swept to one side of her head and was adorned with a simple peony. She was wearing a colorful halter dress that billowed in the wind. He should be over the moon but instead he felt ill at ease.

Skye sat across the table from Grant at a quiet seaside restaurant not frequented by tourists. They had wisely chosen to eat dinner at an establishment that didn't have surveillance cameras. If their work over the last week had taught them anything, it was that S.H.I.E.L.D. was always watching.

They booked two adjoining rooms at the hotel but intended to use one room. It was all about keeping up appearances because Simmons and Fitz were staying at the same hotel. In fact, their teammates were in two rooms across the hall. Although for practicality purposes, it was better than being next door. That could lead to an awkward conversation in the morning.

Neither Grant nor Skye believed that Jemma or Leo would willingly report their relationship. However, they both knew from experience that neither of them were good at lying. It would be unfair to put them in a position where they would have to lie.

Their waitress walked up to their table and served the desserts they ordered.

She asked, "Can I get you anything else?"

Ward said, "More wine for the both of us please."

The waitress refilled their glasses and left them alone.

Grant reached out and took Skye's hand. "You look beautiful, Skye."

Skye smiled and said, "Thank you but it's just something I picked up from a store this evening. I didn't really pack anything appropriate for a place this nice. This is amazing. I mean we are eating dinner out on the beach with waves crashing in the background. This is all very romantic, Grant." She was definitely feeling relaxed after a few glasses of wine.

He smiled, "Good. That is what I was going for. This is our first date and I wanted it to be special. How was your dinner?"

"It was delicious. Although who can resist seafood? I can't believe you went for steak."

Grant shrugged and said, "Who can resist a good steak? I thought after dessert we could go for a walk on the beach. It is getting late. I don't think there is much chance of us running into FitzSimmons and there aren't many surveillance cameras pointed toward the beach.

Skye's eyes brightened. "I would love that, Grant." She unconsciously reached up and touched the medallion Grant gave her when they started dating. "Tonight has been amazing after such a disappointing day. I hate that we are no closer to figuring out why that guy went after me at the hotel. It feels like we keep hitting dead ends. This is the perfect distraction."

Grant was trying to focus on Skye but there was something nagging at him. It was unusual for a team to be given leave unexpectedly. Normally, you knew a few weeks in advance so that you could make travel arrangements. Many agents went home to see their families or took the opportunity to attend some conference or another to hone their skills.

This all seemed hastily planned and smelled a bit like a diversion. However, he didn't know what their attention was being diverted from. He still had some apprehensions about Agent Coulson. Ward had a bad feeling that their fearless leader was sitting on a powder keg concerning the reason for Skye's attack.

He hadn't mentioned it to Skye because he didn't have concrete evidence but he had started to quietly poke around for information. Grant was calling in favors from everyone he could think of to find out more about Skye's background. He found it odd that Agent Coulson told Skye what was in her file but never allowed her to see it. He had already broken S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol by reading her in on a file above her clearance level. He wouldn't have faced any higher penalty from Director Fury for letting Skye see the file. Grant was certain there was something in Skye's file that Coulson didn't want her to see. He had every intention of finding out the truth so that he could protect her.

Skye became concerned when she realized Grant was no longer with her. He had a faraway look and his jaw muscles tightened ever so often. She reached across the table and caressed his hand. "Earth to Ward…"

Grant blinked and then focused in on Skye. "Did you say something?"

She asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. What do you mean?" asked Ward feigning ignorance.

Skye frowned. "You totally zoned out. I was talking to you about my shopping excursion with Jemma this afternoon but I don't think you heard a word I said. I know that you don't find shopping that interesting but it is unlike you to completely ignore what I am saying. What's going on? Is something wrong?"

He said, "I'm just worried about you, Skye. I don't like that we didn't get any answers from Cyrus. He was after you for a reason and just because he is dead doesn't mean the threat has passed. We still don't know why they took your blood. I just don't like any of it. We keep hitting dead ends but that makes me even more concerned."

She trusted Ward and if was worried then that was good enough for her. Skye said, "Agent Coulson said that there was nothing unusual about test results. Maybe they were confused when they targeted me."

Ward asked, "Did you ever see those results?"

Skye's eyes widened just a touch at Ward's question and then her eyebrows furrowed. "No, Agent Coulson called me into his office and said that everything came back normal. Grant, A.C. wouldn't lie to me."

He sighed. "You are right. He has no reason to lie to you. I am just worried. I can't protect you if I don't know what I am protecting you from."

Skye said, "I appreciate your concern. I trust you with my life, Ward, but this is our first date. Can we not focus on doom and gloom? All of these problems will be here in the morning but we only have this alone time until our leave is up. I think we should make the best of it."

Ward nodded. He couldn't disagree with her on that point. Soon enough they would be back on the bus where they would have to pretend to be friends and colleagues but nothing more.

He leaned across the table and kissed her. Ward pulled back hearing someone clearing his or her throat.

Fitz smiled brightly. "What are the chances of running into the two of you here?"

Ward grumbled. "Higher than I would like. Why are the two of you here?"

Fitz said, "I assume for the same reasons that you are. This is a highly rated local restaurant that doesn't have any surveillance cameras and is far enough away from the touristy areas of the island that there aren't likely to be very many other cameras."

It was then that Ward looked down and saw that Fitz was clutching Jemma's hand. They were both obviously dressed for a date. He asked, "You two?"

Jemma nodded and then smirked at Skye. "You two?"

Skye nodded slightly. "I wanted to tell you, Jemma, but I didn't want you to have to lie for me. Grant's my S.O. and this shouldn't be happening."

Simmons smiled and said, "I understand. It is hard following S.H.I.E.L.D.'s protocols for fraternization. Technically, Fitz and I aren't supposed to date because we work in the field together. Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me."

Skye hugged Jemma and said, "Thank you."

Jemma whispered, "I want details later."

Skye laughed softly and nodded. "Deal."

* * *

**18. Applause**

* * *

A week later, Skye walked up to the bar in a trendy South Beach nightclub. She grinned at the bartender to get his attention. Although to be fair with the dress she was wearing, Skye didn't have to do much to attract attention. The gold sequined dress was strapless and stopped about mid-thigh. It didn't leave much to the imagination but for tonight that was the objective. Her long brown hair was pulled up into a high ponytail. The medallion Ward gave her dangled at cleavage level like a shiny lure.

She was excited about being back in the field on a case with the team. It had been three weeks since she was injured and Agent Coulson had been treating her with kid gloves. It was only after she helped rescue him from Raina's clutches that he decided she could return to the field full-time. No more restricted duty.

The bartender walked over to Skye ignoring several other patrons trying to get his attention. He leaned over the bar and asked, "What can I get for you, beautiful?"

She said, "I don't know. This is my first time here. Why don't you give me the strongest drink you've got."

He chuckled. "I like the way you think, one Long Island Ice Tea coming up. The way I make it will knock your socks and shoes off."

"Well, I'm not wearing any socks so we're already half-way there," Skye quipped. She turned around and leaned against the bar. She looked up at the VIP section and contemplated how to get up there. There were already a number of girls in the VIP section. They fit a type. They were young, beautiful, and very tipsy. She arrived a little later in the evening than she anticipated so getting up there would be difficult. However, Skye was up for the challenge that would just mean she had to attract his attention in another way.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings and an impish grin appeared when she noticed the huge screens doubling as wall panels in different parts of the club. At the moment the screens flashed along with the lights to the beat of the music. It was amusing but she had something else in mind.

Skye turned around just in time to see the bartender returning with her drink. She smiled warmly and touched his hand as he set the glass in front of her. "Thanks. How much?"

He shook his head. "It's on me. I have a break in an hour. Why don't you stick around?"

She smiled. "I just might do that." Skye raised the glass to her lips and took a sip. Her eyes widened and her smile widened. "You weren't joking about this drink. What is in here? It tastes like a mix of Long Island and a Mojito."

The bartender smirked. "You have an impressive palate. That is exactly what it is. I hope you're around in an hour." He moved away to serve other customers.

Skye enjoyed the drink and took her phone out of the small sequined clutch purse. Her fingers flew over the touch screen phone fluidly. She worked in silence for several minutes before her mission was complete. Her mischievous smile reappeared as she put away her phone and finished her drink.

She ordered a second drink while she listened to the music and ignored the various men that tried to get her attention. Normally, Skye wasn't that girl but tonight was not a normal night. She was growing bored when she heard Lady Gaga's song 'Applause' start to play.

"Oh, they're playing my song," Skye murmured as she abandoned the bar and picked a prime spot on the dance floor.

She started to dance to the song. Unsurprisingly Skye was a fairly good dancer and drew quite a bit of attention to herself. However, the _pièce de résistance_ was when the wall panel screens in the club all started to show her dancing. Some days it was very good being a hacker.

Skye grinned like a Cheshire cat and her dance moves became more risqué as almost everyone in the club watched her. She glanced up at the VIP section and saw the owner of the club watching her with a smirk on his face.

All of the other women that had just held his attention moments ago were now long forgotten. He waved them off dismissively and his well-armed bodyguards escorted them out of the VIP section.

As the song ended, one of those well-armed bodyguards approached Skye and said, "Mr. Palladio would like you to join him in the VIP section."

She smiled and said, "Lead the way Studly."

The guard led Skye through the crowded club and up the stairs to the VIP area where the owner was waiting on a plush sectional couch.

He said, "I don't know what's more impressive…you're dancing or your hacking skills." Jonathan did so love a pretty woman. What rich man in his 30's didn't enjoy pretty young women fawning all over him? However, it was rare for one of them to pique his interest as more than a one-night stand. They rarely had anything of substance or interest to say to him. However, anyone that had the ability to crack his heavily encrypted video surveillance system had to be interesting.

Skye smirked, "Some people are a jack of all trades. I prefer to be master of a few."

"You also happen to be a ghost. I just ran your image through my facial recognition software and I'm not finding you in any of the databases I have access to. How can that be?" He reached out and poured Skye a glass of very expensive champagne.

She took a sip from the champagne flute and smiled, "Delicious. You have very good taste. As far as my absence from traditional databases…I've found it is easier to conduct my business when I'm merely a ghost."

"And what is your business?"

She laughed softly and flashed a coy smile. "I think we both know the answer to that question."

He chuckled and nodded. "Well, for someone that prefers to be a ghost you certainly brought a lot of attention onto yourself tonight."

Skye leaned in and toyed with the top button of his shirt. "Well, I had to get your attention somehow. So many uninteresting girls were surrounding you. I mean I bet not one of them knows anything about elliptic curve cryptography or 80-bit symmetric encryption keys."

Jonathan's eyes lit up as he felt the top button on his shirt pop open. "Now you're just talking dirty. I don't know if I should be taking you back to my place or hiring you."

She blew into his ear lightly and whispered, "Who says you can't do both?"

* * *

**19. Into the Breach**

* * *

Agent Grant Ward sat a table in a South Beach nightclub nursing a glass of rum and Coke. He was supposed to be drinking something nonalcoholic but he gave up on that idea an hour ago. He watched as Skye flirted unabashedly with the club's owner, Jonathan Palladio. He was a 35-year-old multi-millionaire and the target of tonight's mission.

They were only in the club for approximately 30 minutes before Skye's risqué dance moves and hacking skills caught Jonathan's attention from his perch on the second floor balcony. He had a reputation for plucking his flavor of the night off the dance floor to spend time with him. Soon enough security asked her to join him upstairs in the VIP section. Skye had spent the last two hours up-close and personal with Jonathan. According to Jemma, the pair was getting along like a house on fire.

Jemma said, "It's too bad he is probably in cahoots with Centipede. Skye has a lot in common with him. I bet that they would make a marvelous couple."

He almost wished he could hear the audio from Skye's earwig but Agent Coulson wisely decided that they wouldn't need direct contact until after leaving the club. He needed Ward focused on the mission and not on whatever tawdry dialogue Skye and Jonathan were exchanging.

Agent Coulson was under the impression that Skye and Ward's relationship was only professional. However, he was also aware that Ward was still attracted to his trainee. He didn't need personal feelings bubbling up on the job.

Ward tried to concentrate but it was difficult with Fitz, Simmons, and Agent Coulson chattering in his ear over the earwig. He was worried about Skye. They now knew that the woman in the flower dress was named Raina and she was part of Project Centipede. Skye was most certainly on their radar and could be walking into a trap.

In addition, he didn't think she was ready to be out in the field but Agent Coulson overruled him. It had been nearly three weeks since the attack at the hotel and it was time for Skye to return to full duty.

Moreover, Melinda May wasn't qualified to accompany him. Skye's computer prowess would be required for this mission and barking instructions over the comms would not do in this situation. Skye would have less than 30 minutes to hack Palladio's computer system, break the encryption, copy his hard drive, and plant a malicious virus per S.H.I.E.L.D.'s request.

Grant was along for the ride as a combination back up support and exfiltration plan. There was no way Skye would be able to escape Palladio's heavily guarded compound without help. The man took his security very seriously.

A young woman approached his table and flashed a saccharine sweet smile. "You look really lonely over here. Want some company?"

Any other time Ward would have jumped at the chance but he was focused on the mission. He flashed a charming smile and said, "I'm sorry. I am waiting on my girlfriend."

She pouted and said, "Lucky girl. Well, if you change your mind I'll be right over there at the bar."

Ward watched the girl disappear into the crowd and tore his eyes away in time to catch Jonathan kissing Skye. He felt his blood pressure shoot up a dozen points. Ward's grip on his glass tightened so much that he shattered it accidentally.

Agent Coulson asked, "What was that?"

He replied, "Someone broke a glass nearby." Ward dropped the remnants onto the table and dabbed at his hand with a napkin.

He sat up in his seat more as he watched Jonathan lead Skye down the staircase and out of the club with his security team in tow.

He said, "Look alive everyone. Skye is on the move. Is the tracking strip working?"

Fitz said, "It is online and working properly. We won't lose track of her, Agent Ward."

He grimaced and motioned for the waitress to order another drink. Ward couldn't just get up and follow them out of the club. It would be too obvious and possibly blow Skye's cover. He had to sit there for 45 minutes before leaving. It would prove to be the longest 45 minutes of his life. He constantly checked his watch as he waited.

Grant couldn't deny that he was jealous and it drove him crazy. He knew this was all part of the mission and it shouldn't bother him that Skye spent the evening seducing Palladio. However, it did bother him - a lot.

Skye looked stunning tonight. She wore an impossibly short gold sequined dress. The shimmery frock had the lowest cut neckline he had ever seen. It wasn't something Skye would normally wear but it was imperative for the mission. She had to be able to attract Palladio's attention in a club full of model caliber women.

When the 45 minutes was up Ward exited the club and handed his ticket to the valet. A few moments later, the young man returned with the car. Grant tipped him and slid into the driver's seat.

Agent Coulson said, "Be careful with Lola, Agent Ward."

He chuckled, "I will, Sir."

Fitz said, "I am going to switch the audio from Skye's earwig onto this frequency so that you two can be in contact."

Ward sped through the busy streets of Miami hoping to make good time out to Key Biscayne where their target lived. He focused on his training and hoped to be able to detach from the situation before he arrived at his destination because right now he wanted to pummel Palladio for even looking at Skye.

He slowed to a stop several hundred yards away from the target's house. Ward turned off the car and pulled out the map for the property. He doubled checked his entry point before picking up his gear bag and disappearing into the night. He would hide in the shadows until Palladio's security started their sweep of the property.

* * *

**20. Love is a Burning Flame**

* * *

An hour after arriving at the impressive waterfront home, Skye quietly slipped out of Palladio's bed. He was asleep like a very large drooling baby. She picked up her purse and shoes.

She whispered, "I'm ready, Fitz. Cut the power until I make it to the office."

Fitz said, "Get ready in 3, 2, 1…"

As soon as the house went dark, she crept out of the bedroom and quietly made her way down the hallway to the office.

She wasn't concerned about Palladio waking up. Thanks to a handy sleight of hand trick, she managed to drug his drink with a powerful sedative.

It was unlikely he would wake up before sunrise. He would wake sometime in the morning nude and with a very hazy memory. Skye stifled a chuckle. It was surprisingly hard to get a grown man out of his clothes when he was essentially dead weight.

She snapped out of her thought and focused on the task at hand. His house was crawling with security. They would most certainly be on the move now that the power was out. However, it was the only way to disable the surveillance cameras inside of the house. The team decided to cut power to the entire neighborhood to cover their tracks. If the entire neighborhood went dark Palladio's security would be less likely to become suspicious.

Skye quickly picked the lock on the office door and slipped into the room. She locked the door and whispered, "I'm in. Turn the power back on, Fitz."

"10-4."

A few minutes later the quiet whoosh of the HVAC system alerted Skye that Fitz had restored the power.

She rushed over to the desk and turned on Jonathan's computer. She looked at her bare wrist and decided it was time to make real contact with Professor Randolph. Thus far, their exchanges had been benign talk about timepieces and history. However, for tonight, she had the ability to hack and it was time to strike while the iron was hot. She wouldn't put the mission at risk, but she could multi-task in the meantime. Skye started a timer to keep track of her time.

She set about breaking the encryption on Jonathan's computer. It wasn't difficult as it was identical to the one he used to protect the personal information for his digital media empire. She was able to hack that website months ago and decrypt the information using the encryption key.

Soon she was copying his hard drive and simultaneously hacking into a private chat room Professor Randolph used to talk to about his hobbies. Most of the screen names belonged to women. He was a ladies' man for sure.

**_Kipling1894_**_: Dr. Randolph, I was wondering if we could talk alone. I've taken the liberty of clearing the chat room. I hope you don't mind._

**_ELDolph_**_: Well, color me intrigued. To what do I owe the honor?_

**_Kipling1894_**_: You are the only person with the answers to my question. I have nowhere else to turn._

**_ELDolph_**_: Your screen name is curious. Kipling1894. I can only assume it is a reference to Ruyard Kipling's work The Jungle Book._

**_Kipling1894_**_: You are right._

**_ELDolph_**_: Clever. What questions do you have?_

**_Kipling1894_**_: What does it mean if an Asgardian staff levitates into your hand and flashes bright green?_

**_ELDolph_**_: Has this happened to someone you know?_

**_Kipling1894_**_: It happened to me._

**_ELDolph_**_: Then you are Asgardian. The staff will allow anyone to use it but the staff is only attracted to a native son or daughter of Asgard._

**_Kipling1894_**_: That's not possible. I'm human. I've been on Earth my entire life. There must be another explanation._

**_ELDolph_**_: I am afraid not. May I ask how you came into possession of the staff?_

**_Kipling1894_**_: That does not matter. When I held the staff, my eyes turned bright green and a ball of fire appeared in my hand. I started to levitate in the air but it stopped when I dropped the staff._

**_ELDolph_**_: A ball of fire? What did you see when you held the staff?_

**_Kipling1894_**_: A woman I've never seen before. I've dreamed about her every night since then. I feel like she's calling out to me._

**_ELDolph_**_: She is. Where are you located? We should meet. I may be able to give you more insight._

**_Kipling1894_**_: That is not possible. Thank you for your help. I must go._

Skye knew her clock was winding down and she still needed to install the virus onto the computer. It would allow S.H.I.E.L.D. to take screenshots and control the camera. She set about her work pushing the new information from Professor Randolph out of her head. She would have to puzzle all of that out later.

Finally she whispered, "I'm done and I'm ready to get out of here, Ward. Fitz, hit the lights."

"I'm on my way up."

"I'll be ready."

Skye quickly put the office back the way she found it and moved to the door to wait for Ward.

"Fitz, what's going on? Why didn't the power go out?" asked Skye.

"The guards must have turned on the backup generator after the first blackout. We have the blueprints for the house. Palladio has a backup generator that runs on natural gas. Agent Ward would have to destroy the unit to take it off line."

Ward said, "That's a no go. Security is camped out around the unit. I'll have to make my own way in. Skye, I'll be coming in hot. Keep your head down until I get there."

"Aye, aye, Captain."

Skye huddled near the door and held her breath as she waited for Ward to come charging in. They really should have destroyed the backup generator but hindsight was 20/20.

Soon she heard fighting approaching the office and knew that Grant was on his way but then she heard a familiar voice groan in pain after a particularly loud thud.

She whispered, "Ward, are you okay?"

He groaned into the comms, he was too out of it to respond to her.

Skye opened the door and allowed her eyes adjust to the darkness. She saw the body of one man on the ground. However, the other she recognized as being Ward.

He was disorientated but he scrambled to get out of the way, as yet another security guard approached to kill him. The man tossed Ward around like a ragdoll. Instantly, she realized that something was very wrong. She hadn't seen Ward manhandled like that since their encounter with Mike Petersen.

Skye rushed out of the office and hit the man over the back of the head with a paperweight she lifted from Jonathan's office. It was enough to stun but not bring the man down. Skye skillfully used the fighting combat techniques that Ward was teaching her. However, they seemed to have little effect on the guard.

He spun around and threw Skye into the wall hard enough to crack the drywall. She slid down the wall and collapsed into a heap on the floor.

Ward got to his feet and pounced on the man as he stalked toward Skye's prone body.

However, the man batted Ward away like an inconvenient fly and sent him to the ground with a sickening crunch.

Skye's vision was hazy because of the latest head trauma and the darkened hallway didn't help. She heard Agent Coulson over the earwig demanding a status update. She squinted into the darkness and saw the security guard lifting his heavy boot over Ward's head.

She screamed, "No!"

Skye reached out toward Ward and suddenly the hallway was illuminated by a ball of fire in her hand. She looked at it in shock for only a moment before throwing it at the guard.

The guard screamed in agony and dropped to the floor. He rolled around frantically trying to put out the flames.

Another ball of fire appeared in Skye's hand and she threw it at the guard, too.

Ward got onto his feet but still appeared shaky. However, he reached out taking Skye's hand and pulled her onto her feet.

She swayed slightly but tried to keep up with Ward as her ran toward Palladio's office.

He locked the door behind them and opened balcony doors setting off an alarm. There was no way they could make it out of the house on the ground level. Security would be waiting for them he and Skye were bruised and battered. Ward could still match skills with any opponent but encountering another super soldier was a risk he couldn't take with Skye there.

She asked, "We're going off the balcony?" Skye looked over the side and swallowed nervously.

Ward smiled and caressed Skye's cheek gently. "Trust me." He scooped Skye off her feet and jumped over the side. They tumbled on the ground but weren't injured. Ward scrambled to his feet and pulled Skye with him. "Let's go!"

Skye ran with Ward as she heard guards shooting behind them.

They ran to Coulson's car down the block. It was easier to disappear into the night since the rest of the block was pitch black from the blackout. He took out his earwig and held out his hand for Skye to do the same.

She took out the earwig and handed it to Ward.

Grant dropped the earwigs on the ground and crushed them with the heel of his boot.

Skye watched him climb into the car and drive away from the curb with a stone face. She didn't know what to make of the situation or why he decided to ditch their earwigs.

As soon as they made it across the causeway, he pulled over onto the shoulder of the road. He turned to look at Skye and asked, "What was that?"

She asked, "What was what?"

He yelled, "You set a man on fire, Skye! What the hell was that?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

She yelled, "It means I don't know! You were in trouble. I thought you were about to have your skull caved in! The next thing I knew there was a ball of fire in my hand and…I threw it. I don't know how it happened. I just wanted to save you."

He took her hand and said, "I want to help you but I can't do that if you aren't being completely honest with me, baby. Has this ever happened before?"

Skye looked terrified but nodded slightly. She said, "It happened for the first time at the monastery. I was helping Simmons pack up the staff for containment. I went to wrap it in plastic and it levitated toward me. I opened my hand and it came to me. I opened my other hand out of instinct I guess and a fireball appeared. I got scared and dropped the staff. The fire disappeared too and I just tried to pretend it never happened, but it has happened again. A few times."

Ward stared at her in disbelief and asked, "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I didn't want to get into trouble. I am still working to earn everyone's trust after helping Miles. I knew I shouldn't have touched the staff but I did anyway and now I keep having dreams about what I saw when I held that staff."

He kissed her hand and said, "You didn't pick up the staff…for some reason it chose you. You should have come to us. We could have helped you. You wouldn't have been in trouble. You have to trust your team."

"Why should I when you don't trust me?" asked Skye.

Ward sighed and said, "I trust you, Skye, but we need to tell Agent Coulson."

Skye said, "No! He might decide to kick me off the team. I don't…I don't want to be alone again. Please don't tell him. I won't throw anymore fireballs. I promise."

He took her face into his hands and stared into her eyes. "You aren't going to be alone. Agent Coulson won't just kick you off the team. He will listen to you. You don't even know how the fireball appeared, Skye. You can't make that sort of promise. That staff might have done something to you."

"It didn't do anything to you or Agent May. It will go away. It will all go away," Skye whispered, she felt tears welling in her eyes.

Ward kissed her softly. He pulled back quickly hearing a vehicle approaching. He was shocked to see it was the ops van containing the rest of the team. They had most certainly witnessed the kiss.

Agent Coulson walked over to the car and asked, "What happened?"

Skye opened her mouth to speak but Ward said, "Our comms were destroyed in the fight but we're okay. I think Simmons should check out Skye. She hit her head again."

Coulson looked at the tears in Skye's eyes and said, "Follow us back to the plane. We need to get the copy of Palladio's hard drive back to the Hub immediately. Simmons can examine both of you on the bus."

"Yes, sir."

He said, "Be careful with Lola. I'd like to get her back to the bus in better shape than your comms."

Ward nodded and said, "I'll get her back in pristine condition, Sir."

Coulson nodded and returned to the van. Moments later Agent May sped away expecting Ward to follow suit.

He looked at Skye and said, "You are going to be okay, Skye. I promise. I am not going to let anything happen to you."

She said, "I believe you."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey! I am so excited for everyone to read this chapter that I decided to post it a day early. The feedback from Chapter 4 was awesome. Thanks to everyone that is reading, reviewing, and following this story. I have finished writing The Emerald in Ice so all of the updates from here on out will be on time. If there is enough interest I will definitely write a sequel. **

* * *

**21. Tell Me Lies**

* * *

Agent Phil Coulson walked into his office with Melinda May at his side and was greeted by the sight of Grant and Skye seated in the chairs in front of his desk. He was observant enough to recognize the chairs had been moved from their original positions so that they were now side-by-side.

Agent May took her position at the back of the office to observe whatever was about to take place. Before coming into the office, she shared a lengthy conversation with Coulson about the odd way the mission ended. She was more than a little curious about what Skye and Ward had to say.

As Coulson sat down, he saw Skye gripping Grant's hand for dear life. He was unsettled by their obvious heightened anxiety. He didn't know what happened in Jonathan Palladio's house but he was certain he wasn't going to like it. Ward wasn't the only one concerned about allowing Skye back into the field. He cared greatly for the young woman. They were a family now and everyone's safety was important to him. He would do anything to keep everyone safe.

Agent Coulson asked, "What can I do for the two of you? Is everything okay?"

Ward said, "We're here to talk to you about tonight's mission."

Coulson nodded. "Are we going to talk about what actually happened to your comms? Fitz enhanced the audio and replayed it for me. It seems more like someone smashed them after you were out of the house instead of being destroyed in the heat of battle like you reported."

Skye's eyes widened and she shifted her gaze to Ward as if to say 'he's on to us'. She was ready to race out of the room and forget this whole plan. She reasoned that she had kept her secret for a couple of weeks. How bad could it be to keep the secret forever?

However, Ward was undeterred and merely squeezed Skye's hand in response. He said, "No, we are here to talk about a situation concerning Skye. There is something she needs to tell you."

Agent Coulson sat back in his chair and asked, "May I ask why you're here?"

"I'm her S.O. and I am here to support her," said Ward, he nodded at Skye to encourage her. He whispered. "It's okay. All you have to do is tell the truth. I'll be right here."

Skye swallowed nervously. She said, "Some weird stuff has been happening to me lately and I—uh—well, I didn't tell anyone because I was scared that you would kick me off the team. I really like training to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. I know that originally, I accepted your offer for the wrong reasons but I have really come to love the team. I want to be a good agent. I want to make you proud for believing in me when no one else did. I don't want to lose all of this because of a stupid mistake."

Phil spoke in a soft voice. "Skye, you don't have to be scared. You can tell me anything."

She whispered, "I think something is wrong with me."

"I don't understand what is going on here. Are you sick? Should we call Simmons in here? Were hurt tonight?"

She shook her head and said, "No. Not really."

He asked, "Are you pregnant?"

Phil assumed that would explain why Ward was present for this conversation. He knew the two of them had become intimate but he did not know if that relationship continued. It was better that he didn't know so he wasn't required to take action based on the S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol.

Skye's eyes widened and she said, "No. I mean I don't think so. Probably not."

Ward felt his stomach clench at her answer. He knew that pregnancy was a possibility considering their first night together was filled with more passion than common sense. It was so unlike Ward to be reckless, but then again everything about that night was reckless. He made a mental note to have a quiet word with Skye later.

Agent Coulson asked, "Then what is going on?"

She said, "Maybe I could just show you…"

Skye closed her eyes and thought about Ward being attacked in the hall of Jonathan Palladio's home. She thought about how close he came to being killed and how she would do anything to protect him.

She heard a gasp and her eyes snapped open to see a ball of fire in her left hand. It was bigger than the ball of fire she produced earlier. It was as if the more often she used her powers the stronger they became.

Melinda May walked around to the side of Skye's chair and stared at the intense flame. The heat emanating from the glowing orb was incredible. However, it was Skye's shining green eyes that really caught her attention.

Agent Coulson asked, "How did this happen?"

Skye swallowed nervously hearing the accusation in his stern voice. She said, "I…it wasn't on purpose. I swear."

Ward saw that Skye was trembling. He cleared his throat and said, "Skye was wrapping up the Asgardian staff when it started to come toward her hand. When she held it for the first time, the fireball appeared in her other hand. Since then she has been having strange dreams about a woman. Skye believes she may be Asgardian. She drew this picture of the woman from her dreams."

He handed the picture to Agent Coulson.

Phil looked at the picture and maintained a steady face but if he was strictly honest, it was a great likeness of someone he knew. Skye was certainly a talented artist.

The young woman was relieved that Ward was there to help her through that. Her mouth had gone dry and she wasn't sure she would have been able to articulate the situation with Coulson and May looking at her with their disapproving glares. She closed her hand and the fireball disappeared. Soon after the fire dissipated, her eyes returned to their natural brown color.

Agent Coulson sat on the edge of his desk and stroked his chin in thought. In fact, he was just stalling for time. He had no interest in telling Skye the truth until he could guarantee her safety. He knew the identity of her mother but her father was still very much a mystery. Furthermore, he still didn't understand the mystery surrounding Skye's entry into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s sphere of influence as an infant or what it all meant. Until that mystery was solved, he couldn't in good conscience tell her a truth that might endanger her life.

"What makes you think you are Asgardian, Skye?"

"I chatted with Professor Randolph and told him what happened. I was scared and I didn't know where else to turn. He said the staff chose me because I am Asgardian. I didn't know what to think. Is that even possible? I'm human. I would know if I was Asgardian."

Ward said, "Maybe not if you are only half-Asgardian. You might have one human parent and one alien parent."

Agent Coulson said, "There might be another explanation for what happened with the staff. It is best not to jump to conclusions. Skye, you should go see Jemma in the lab. She can draw some blood and run some tests. It shouldn't be difficult to find out if you are Asgardian."

Skye's eyes widened, "I'm not in trouble? You aren't kicking me off the team?"

He smiled, "No, I think it is safe to say holding the staff was a mistake. It wasn't purposeful or malicious. It was mere curiosity. There will be a lot of that working for S.H.I.E.L.D. in the future. We experience many of the universe's curiosities. However, it is important to remember that you always have a team to back you up. You don't have to suffer in silence."

The younger woman leaped from the chair and wrapped her arms around Coulson. She hugged him and said, "Thank you."

Coulson would never get used to Skye's need to hug. He could only assume it had something to do with her childhood in an orphanage. However, he rather enjoyed the feeling. Phil returned the hug and held her there for a moment. He smiled, "You should go see, Jemma. We'll get to the bottom of this."

She nodded and let go of him. Skye turned around and headed for the door. She stopped and looked at Ward. She asked, "Are you coming?"

Ward said, "I'll be there in a minute."

Skye nodded and slipped out of the office.

Agent Coulson asked, "Is there something else, Agent Ward?"

The smile fell away from Ward's lips and his eyes narrowed. He asked, "How long have you known the truth about Skye?"

"I'm not sure I know what you're getting at, Ward."

Ward's fist flexed instinctively. He didn't like being lied to and he didn't like the idea of anyone hurting Skye.

He said, "You weren't surprised when you saw the ball of fire appear in her hand. I was watching you while you were watching her. When you saw the sketch of the woman from Skye's dream there was a flicker of recognition. You know her or know of her. Another thing, Simmons took blood from Skye after she was attacked at the hotel but nothing ever came from that blood draw. We dropped the samples off at the Fridge. I am sure Simmons never saw the results and you only told Skye about them. She never saw the results and I checked - they were never logged into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s database. Another thing, you told Skye about her file but never actually let her see the unredacted copy. You already knew that Skye was Asgardian. I bet the agency knows too. It had to have come up during her entrance physical. The only thing I can't figure out is why you would lie to Skye. She trusts you. She loves you."

Agent Coulson swallowed thickly as he listened to Grant present his case. Agent John Garrett had trained him well. Ward had not missed a single beat. The young man knew the truth and there was no sense in insulting his intelligence by lying about it. "The answer to that question is only for someone with a Level 8 clearance."

Ward laughed bitterly. He shook his head and wondered if Skye was right about the insane sacrifices he made for S.H.I.E.L.D. on a daily basis. He showed them loyalty but he was beginning to believe that loyalty was not returned. The agents were treated like expendable widgets. If one was lost, there were dozens more in the queue to snap into place.

"That is a very convenient answer. I know that the rules are there for a reason but sometimes they are just as an excuse. You could have told Skye the truth. She has been waiting her whole life to know who she is and where she came from. S.H.I.E.L.D. regulations shouldn't be standing in the way of that."

"I know that you feel strongly about Skye. I care about her too. I just want to keep her safe. I need to keep this secret in-house a little longer to keep her safe. I am afraid that Skye knowing the truth will put her in danger. You do not know what we are facing. May and I have been working diligently."

Ward said, "I don't know because you won't tell me. You are worried about Skye. There is some threat out there and I can't even protect her from it because I don't know what it is. If anything happens to Skye I blame you."

"I know the identity of Skye's mother. She is the woman from the sketch. However, someone has been after Skye since she was an infant. This someone killed scores of people trying to apprehend Skye. Until I know why or who was behind those senseless massacres I can't tell her the truth. I am telling you this so that you understand my orders are not arbitrary and they are given with Skye's well-being in mind. You know the truth and you can do what you can to protect her. Now I am giving you a direct order — do not share your insights with Skye."

"Yes, sir. Just remember we are not your puppets. Skye will find out the truth eventually. Have you considered how she will react?" He scowled and picked up Skye's sketch as he exited the office.

Melinda said, "This is going to blow up in your face. Ward cares about her and he will not keep this secret for long."

"Then we should redouble our efforts to identify Skye's father. I have been in contact with Thor. He is visiting our fair planet at a most opportune time. He had good and bad news."

"What is the good news?"

Coulson said, "He was able to shed some light on her mother's past relationships. There are two men that fit the bill."

"Well, that is great news. What is the bad news?"

He said, "She is on Earth as well. She arrived here not long after we detained those hooligans that were wreaking havoc with the berserker staff. Thor believes that she is here looking for Skye. She and Loki are close. Loki will no doubt come to Earth looking for her if she does not return soon. Their relationship is more than a business arrangement. We don't want the two of them on Earth at the same time. They tend to leave things a mess."

"How could she even know about Skye? Surely, she thought the child was lost after all this time."

"I was unclear about that but now it seems obvious. Skye touched the staff and produced a fireball. It is safe to say using her magic alerted the Enchantress. Skye dreaming about her is no coincidence. That is Amora's way of reaching out to her. Using the magic is like a beacon. Amora will be drawn closer to Skye each time it occurs."

Melinda said, "I guess that means we need to stop Skye from using her magic or it will lead Amora straight to her. How do we do that without making her suspicious?"

Coulson said, "We'll tell her that we don't know the effects it will have on her body. She should stop until we can get back a full panel of results."

"You are literally playing with fire but this is your show."

Agent Coulson handed Melinda a folder. "Just start digging into these names. Please. The sooner we know what we are dealing with the better."

* * *

**22. Out of a Dream**

* * *

Ward was unable to sleep and had spent the majority of the night working out. Now he was just staring into the darkness. He didn't like that he was forced to be complicit in this lie. Skye needed to know about her parents and he was convinced that Agent Coulson knew the whole story. He understood following the rules but it hardly seemed to apply when you were talking about someone's origin story. He couldn't imagine waiting more than two decades just to find out where you came from. His family history was terrible but at least he knew it. Good or bad Skye had the right to know the truth. He wondered if the sketch Skye drew would be good enough to send to Professor Randolph. He wouldn't know every Asgardian but he might know this one. It was hardly a good plan but it was better than no plan at all.

A shrill cry from Skye's bunk drew Ward out of his thoughts and spurred him to action. He sprang from his bunk and sprinted the short distance to Skye's bunk. He opened the door and searched the darkness for an assailant. However, he just found Skye shaking like a leaf and staring into the darkness. She was mumbling something unintelligible and rocking back and forth.

Ward sat beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. He pulled her into his lap not knowing what to do other than comfort her. He asked, "What's wrong? What happened? Talk to me, baby."

She buried her face in Ward's bare chest finding herself unable to speak. The thoughts in her mind were jumbled and she doubted she could form a coherent sentence even if she tried. The dream was vivid and awe inspiring.

Agent May was at the door with her gun drawn but lowered it seeing that there was no threat. She gave Ward a questioning look.

He mouthed, "Nightmare."

Agent Coulson, Simmons, and Fitz soon stood outside of Skye's bunk as well. They all looked concerned and confused by the situation.

Ward caressed Skye's back and waited until he felt her chest stop heaving. "Are you okay?"

"She wants me to come to her, Ward. I have to go to her."

Ward searched her bleary eyes and asked, "Go where? Where does she want you to go?"

"I don't know. In my dream, she told me that I could do it. I could come to her if I want to…I just have to want to do it. I want to do it. She has the answers I've been looking for, Ward. She told me."

"Skye it was only a dream. It wasn't real, baby. I know the dreams seem so real but they're just that - dreams."

She said, "I think it was real. In one of my other dreams, she said I could use the fireball whenever I wanted. I can. Sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night I make a ball of fire just to see in the dark. It is so easy now. If she says that I can go to her…then I believe her. I'm going to go to her." Skye produced a fireball and tossed it into the air. It landed in her hand and she extinguished it.

Agent Coulson had a list of powers Skye might possess. He was very concerned about how all of this would turn out. He said, "Skye, you seem overwhelmed. You should let Simmons give you something that will help you rest. You will feel better in the morning. I promise. Jemma…"

Jemma nodded and made a beeline for the lab to get the necessary medication. She was struggling to wrap her mind around what she had just seen. Now it all made sense why Agent Coulson wouldn't let her test Skye's blood.

Skye's eyes were wild and she shook her head. She said, "No! She wants me to come to her. I can't disappoint her. She needs to see me. You don't understand! I need her!"

Agent May's eyes widened seeing the crazed look on Skye's face. She wondered what affect these dreams were having on the girl's state of mind. She also continued to question Agent Coulson's wisdom at keeping the truth a secret. Explaining the situation seemed a better solution than letting Skye go insane in front of their eyes. On the other hand, anyone involved with Loki was certainly bad news.

Melinda reached out and caressed Skye's arm to soothe her. She said, "You don't even know where you would be going. She could be dangerous. You don't know who she is or what she is capable of doing. Let us help. We can find her together." May so rarely showed maternal instincts but in this moment she knew this was what Skye needed.

"No, she loves me. I can tell. You don't understand. I can't explain my dreams but she's prefect. She has come to me every night since I touched the staff and each time it hurts a little more when she leaves me again. She wants me to come to her and I'm going to go."

Agent Coulson said, "We can't allow you to do that. It is my job to protect you. I can't let you just run off, Skye. I'm not going to let anyone take you away from us."

Skye panicked when he made a move toward her. A fireball appeared without warning.

Coulson jumped back feeling the flame's intense heat. "Skye!"

She gasped, "I'm sorry. That wasn't on purpose but I have to go to her. I have to. I have to. I have to. I have to. I can't let you stop me. I have to."

Ward was worried about Skye's manic behavior. She was coming apart at the seams and he didn't know how to fix her. His heart was breaking and he just wanted to take care of her. "Baby, it's going to be okay. I promise."

Agent Coulson walked into the bunk and tried to remove Skye from Ward's arms. He saw Grant crumbling under the pressure. His feelings for Skye were clouding his judgement as an agent.

Ward growled, "Stay back! Don't touch her."

"Agent Ward, stand down."

Ward snapped, "I said stay back! You have done enough. Look what this is doing to Skye. It is tearing her apart. You're doing this to her."

May said, "Ward, I know that you want to help Skye but this isn't the way. Phil has her best interest at heart. I promise."

"You're part of this too, May!" Grant ignored them and leaned his forehead against Skye's forehead. He caressed her back and said, "You can't go alone, Skye. I will go with you. How will you get there?"

"You'll come with me?" asked Skye. Her heart was racing and she clung to Ward like a lifeline.

"Of course I will come with you. I'll go anywhere with you. I promise."

"Because you're my supervising officer?"

"No, because I'm your boyfriend and I love you," he said. Ward never expected to say that in front of their team but right now it was like there was no one else in the room. Skye was all that mattered.

She smiled and nodded, "Okay, I want you to come with me. I love you, too."

"I know - I know. You saved my life tonight. Again. We're all we have in the world, Skye, and I'm okay with that."

Agent Coulson said, "I can't allow either of you to do this. You don't know where you are going or what dangers you may face when you get there." He grabbed Skye's arm to pull her away from Ward.

Skye screamed, "No!"

A green-colored wave of energy burst forth from Skye and knocked Coulson, May, and Fitz to the ground. It also shorted out the electrical system in the plane and plunged them all into darkness.

Skye closed her eyes and thought about the woman in green. She thought about being near her and perhaps getting a hug. A hug sounded so amazing right now. There was a warmth about the woman that made Skye feel safe and loved. It was an odd feeling but a good one. She knew that if she could just get to her everything would be right for the first time in her life. The din of other people's voices slowly receded from her consciousness and Skye could only think of the woman in green. It was as if the woman was beckoning Skye to her. Skye reached out to take the woman's hand and everything went dark.

* * *

**23. The Family Tree**

* * *

Ward looked around with wide eyes realizing they were no longer in Skye's bunk or even on the airplane. They were in the middle of an upscale living room in a high-rise building. Floor to ceiling panes of glass lined the room's exterior walls and rich dark mahogany wood covered the floors. Elegant cream furniture completed the look. The Empire State Building in the distance was his only clue about their current location.

He looked down and saw Skye's unconscious body in his arms. Ward quickly became worried about her. "Skye, wake up. Come on, baby…wake up."

Just then, a woman appeared in the hallway. She had an ethereal presence about her. Amora walked into the living room wearing an emerald green satin bathrobe. Her long blonde tresses were pulled into a low ponytail that hung down her back. Her complexion was similar to Skye's which made her golden blond locks seem even more out of place. Her bright emerald green eyes lit up seeing Ward holding Skye in his arms.

The color of her eyes struck him as familiar. It dawned on him that Skye's eyes turned the same luminescent color when the fireball appeared in her hand.

She quickly closed the gap between them and chuckled when Ward backed away. The young man's jaw clenched and his eyes hardened. She could see that he was fiercely protective of Skye. He was readying himself to fight although he was dressed in just a pair of pajama bottoms. He didn't even have on shoes.

"There is no reason to fear me. I would never dream of harming Skye in a million years. I am so proud she figured out how to find me. I was growing more desperate by the day. I kept waiting for her to use her powers again so that I could find her but it only happened in short bursts. I imagine she was terrified of them. It is rather unusual for fire to appear in ones hand. I've had centuries to get used to it."

Amora lifted her hand and produced a much larger fireball than Skye produced earlier. She closed her hand making it disappear.

He said, "You are the woman from her dreams. She drew a picture of you. Who are you and what do you want with Skye?"

She smiled, "You have every right to be cautious. My name is Amora and some call me The Enchantress. However, I hope that Skye will simply call me her mother."

Ward's eyes widened and he asked, "You are her mother?"

"Yes, I am. I could cradle Skye in my arms the last time I saw her. I am sure I could still do that but it wouldn't be quite the same. She would stare up at me with the most inquisitive wide brown eyes. It was as if she wanted to see every moment that this world had to offer. I wanted so much to take her back to Asgard and show her our planet and every realm in between."

He wanted to know more but his first priority had to be Skye. He said, "She fainted and I'm not sure why. Can you help her?"

Amora walked closer and gently brushed the girl's hair away from her face. She pressed a small kiss onto her forehead.

"That's nothing to be concerned about. Teleportation is a tricky feat for someone that has never attempted it before. Skye is just exhausted from the exertion. An hour's rest and she will be right as rain once again. Come with me. I'll show you to Skye's bedroom."

Ward gave her a confused look.

Amora smiled and started walking down the hall.

He wasn't really a connoisseur of art but he was certain the works on the walls were all masterpieces.

She opened the door to a bedroom. "I don't know if she will like it or not. I had it prepared from the moment I arrived after I first felt her presence a few weeks ago. She used her powers for the very first time and I felt it in my soul. My daughter was alive. Twenty-four years is a drop in the bucket for me but it must have seemed like an eternity for my daughter."

Amora decided she would never tire of uttering that word 'daughter'.

Ward nodded, "She's been looking for her parents for a long time."

Amora pulled back the covers so that Ward could place Skye in the bed. She walked over to the dresser and picked up a remote control. Amora pressed a button and blackout shades slid down to cover the floor to ceiling panes of glass.

She said, "There is a full bathroom through that door. Please make yourself at home."

He was reluctant and wary but Skye wanted to find this woman and he was determined to help her. Ward carefully placed Skye in the bed and pulled the duvet up under her chin.

She said, "I can tell that you don't trust me but I just want to meet her and explain that I never abandoned her. I will not force her to remain here if she wishes to leave. I'll leave you to it."

Ward asked, "What?"

She turned around and said, "Oh, I just assumed because of your state of dress you wouldn't mind sharing a bed with my daughter. Have I misread the situation?"

Ward glanced at Skye and then shook his head. "No, you have not misread the situation."

She smiled. "Good. I thought I was going to have to read your mind to figure out your relationship with Skye. My bedroom is just at the end of the hall. Please come get me as soon as she wakes up."

Grant sat down on the bed once the door closed. He didn't know what to think. Coulson seemed to think this woman was Skye's mother but Grant had no proof. This was the problem with shutting him out of the loop. However, he believed it. He was good at reading people and the adoration in the woman's eyes was all too real. He knew that he should contact S.H.I.E.L.D. but he couldn't do that until Skye met her mother. His heart broke remembering how distraught Skye was in her bunk. She was manic and desperate to get to this place and now she was here.

He walked around to the other side of the king size bed and slipped in beside Skye. He pulled her into his arms and rested his chin against the top of her head. Ward didn't know how this would turn out but he would support her come what may. He only hoped this meeting would be everything she dreamed of as a child. Although the truth was, reality hardly ever lived up to fantasy.

* * *

**A/N: I am terrible at describing people so Amora would probably look something like the actress Moon Bloodgood. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: We are getting closer to the end of this story and I couldn't be more excited. Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to read this story. The feedback from the last chapter was spectacular. There were some interesting guesses about the identity of Skye's father. **

* * *

**24. Mistakes Were Made**

* * *

Phil Coulson sat behind his desk feeling like an utter failure. Lying to Skye was a grave miscalculation. A miscalculation he would not have made if he knew she touched the staff. Using her magic for the first time, no doubt alerted Amora to her existence.

According to his conversation with Thor, The Enchantress would have sensed Skye's magic immediately and would have tried to establish a psychic connection with the girl. Amora was powerful and relentless. She would expend every ounce of her energy to retrieve Skye.

Phil could only imagine how desperate Amora was to find her daughter. He assumed Skye's fear of what was happening to her prevented her from experimenting with her powers more. The young woman's apprehension was the only thing that stopped Amora from finding her. Each time Skye produced a fireball it acted as a beacon and strengthened The Enchantress' psychic connection to her.

Amora must have used all of her power to force those nightly dreams. He couldn't believe that Skye suffered in silence because she feared him. It was a sobering revelation. Coulson had felt out of his element since learning the truth about his miraculous recovery.

Phil trusted Skye. He had long since forgiven her transgression with Miles. He understood how youth and confusion could cloud judgment. He was a young S.H.I.E.L.D. agent once upon a time. Phil had made many mistakes over the years both personally and professionally. It was the process for maturing. However, he refused to take off Skye's bracelet for fear she would hack S.H.I.E.L.D.'s system and access her complete file. While they scoured the globe for Cyrus Walsh, Coulson witnessed what Skye was capable of doing when she was unleashed in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s network. She turned the most expensive and comprehensive surveillance program on the planet into her plaything and improved it.

He looked at her bracelet that he removed that evening for the mission. Her internet activity of late began to make more sense. Her sudden interest in antique watches and pens seemed odd at the time. He now realized she was trying surreptitiously to find Professor Randolph.

It made sense that she would contact the only Asgardian she knew. Since Skye's revelation, he had combed through her internet activity. However, he did not find any instances of her contacting the professor directly. Skye was cunning and was not likely to contact him directly while being monitored by Coulson. He realized then why Skye so eagerly volunteered for this assignment.

Melinda May walked into the office and shot Phil a disapproving glare. She said, "Whatever Skye did temporarily fried the plane's electrical system. We were able to get the communication system and the lights running again. However, this plane isn't flying anywhere because the essential functions are shot. Fitz is running a diagnostic test now to figure out where the problem is centered."

"It was an energy pulse. If we were in the sky when that happened we'd all be dead right now," Phil replied.

May's features softened slightly. "Phil, her intention was not to harm any of us. You saw her tonight. She was a wreck. Skye probably doesn't even know what she did or how she did it."

He nodded. "I know that."

Melinda walked around his desk and touched his arm. "You could have told Skye the truth and maybe we wouldn't have lost two agents tonight. Two agents, that we have no way of finding until they want to be found. We don't know where they went or if they will return willingly. You should have told her the entire truth after leaving the Hub."

Coulson said, "We didn't know whole truth. We just knew that an agent that was subsequently murdered left Skye at an orphanage. That wasn't much to go on."

"Fair enough but you know the truth now. Skye can handle knowing the truth. She's a strong girl."

"You heard what Agent Lumley said. The people after Skye killed an entire village and several good agents in their quest. Until we know who is responsible for all of that carnage she couldn't know about her past or her mother. There is a very good chance that whoever was trying to find Skye knows that Amora is her mother. Maybe the person wants to use Skye for her powers or maybe they want her as bait to draw out Amora. The person could be her father. We cannot risk it, May. If I told Skye about Amora she would have went to her immediately."

"Skye's alliance is her decision to make. You cannot will someone to be good or evil. She made the right choice when she was a hacker with the Rising Tide and came to work with us. You should have trusted her to make the right decision in this situation."

Coulson said, "Her psychological profile does not agree with you, Melinda. She chose S.H.I.E.L.D. over the Rising Tide because she wanted access to our database to find out more about her parents. She chose us over Miles because he lied to her and she was disillusioned. She clung to him and when he turned out to be a traitor to their cause she decided to cling to us. She needs connection and she wants a family. Do you really think her alliances wouldn't shift if presented the opportunity to reunite with her mother?"

"It wasn't your decision to make."

"That is where we disagree. This is my team and I do what I think is best for all of you. You can only have one conductor for a symphony or else everyone starts to play his or her own tune."

Melinda said, "Well, we aren't playing any tune now because we've lost two of our agents."

Coulson said, "Agent Ward will contact us when he can. He will follow protocol. In the meantime, we will not sit here and twiddle our thumbs. Fitz can check to see if Skye's tracking strip from the operation tonight is still active. She may have forgotten to remove it after the mission. Thor is still in Paris with Dr. Jane Foster. I will call him and ask if he has any ideas about Amora's whereabouts."

She shook her head and turned to leave the office. Melinda paused shortly and said, "You are making a very large assumption in all of this. You have no way of knowing if Skye and Ward want to be rescued. He went with her willingly and he was none too pleased at being ordered to lie to her. He is more than just her S.O. and you know that. Ward is a highly skilled agent with drop boxes and connections all over the world. If they want to disappear for good…they can."

Phil didn't bother replying as Melinda walked out of the office without waiting for one. Allowing Ward to remain Skye's S.O. was another miscalculation on his part. It was his hope they would realize a romantic relationship was ill advised. Ward knew better than to continue any relationship with Skye. However, he was a young man in love. Often young men in love did foolish things.

They were under a time crunch now. There was only so long Coulson could keep something of this magnitude in-house. He would have to report to S.H.I.E.L.D. and more importantly Director Fury. The director knew all about Skye's parentage and agreed with Coulson that holding back the truth was the best answer. Director Fury saw a future where Skye would be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent using her powers for the agency to protect the world just like Ironman, Thor, and Captain America. They were in the unique position to cultivate and develop a superhero from the very beginning.

Phil Coulson swallowed his pride and called Director Fury. When the call went to voicemail, he sighed in relief thinking he had been granted a reprieve. However, moments later he saw an incoming video call. He didn't need to be psychic to know who was on the other end. He hit the button to answer the call.

"Good morning, Director Fury. How are you?"

"Enough of the pleasantries, Coulson. You didn't call me in the middle of the night to talk about the weather or the Yankees. What's wrong, Coulson?"

"Skye teleported herself and Agent Ward off the bus tonight after a traumatizing dream. Unbeknownst to me Skye touched the berserker staff weeks ago. Amora has been reaching out to her through her dreams."

He stopped talking, as he didn't need to explain the implications to the director. They both knew the risks when they embarked on this journey. Director Fury told him from the beginning that having Skye on the plane was a risk. He would have preferred to send the girl through the S.H.I.E.L.D. academy before she discovered her identity. However, Phil had argued vehemently that Skye would get lost in the crowd at the academy and most likely drop out. On the bus, he would be able to give her one-on-one instruction and nurture her development as an agent. It had all gone to plan until that day at the monastery.

He didn't look at Skye as just another trainee.

Agent Coulson said, "If Skye finds out that S.H.I.E.L.D. hid the truth from her… we will lose her."

Director Fury said, "Your team needs to find Skye immediately. Thor informed me that Loki is here. He is most certainly here to take Amora back to Asgard. I doubt the Enchantress will leave the planet without her daughter."

* * *

**25. New Beginnings**

* * *

Grant's eyes shot open as Skye began to stir beside him in bed. He tried to stay awake to wait for her to wake up but he found himself drifting to sleep after two hours. The previous day had been exhausting and he was injured from the fight with the super soldier at the target's home. After the mission, Simmons confirmed that he had two cracked ribs.

Skye opened her eyes slowly and groaned in pain. Her head was throbbing likely from crashing into a wall the previous night. As she slowly became more lucid, she realized she didn't recognize the darkened bedroom. This was definitely not her bunk. Furthermore, the incredibly soft sheets alerted her to the fact this was not her bed. However, the most jarring revelation was that she was not in the bed alone. A strong pair of arms had a firm hold on her body. She jolted in surprise and tried to get away from the person.

Grant tightened his hold on Skye's body to prevent her from running away. He whispered, "Skye, you're okay."

She stopped moving after hearing Grant's voice. She rolled over so that she was facing him. Skye asked, "Where are we?"

He said, "New York City. You brought us here."

Her eyes widened but she remained quiet. Skye had a million questions but she was afraid of all of the answers. She was confused and would most likely be terrified if it were not for Grant's presence. She whispered, "Thank you for coming with me."

He kissed her cheek. "There is no way I would let you come here on your own. Are you ready to meet her? She asked me to tell her the minute you woke up but I thought it would be better for you to get your legs under you first."

"Is it the woman from my dreams?" asked Skye.

He nodded. "You did a really good job of drawing her. She looks just like the sketch."

"What about Agent Coulson and the team?"

"They can wait until you meet her and get the answers to your questions. If I call them now they will come for you. You need to do this first."

Skye slipped out of Ward's arms and sat up in the bed. She ran a nervous hand through her hair. She wanted to meet the woman in green more than anything but now she was scared. What if this wasn't her mother? She didn't think she could take that type of disappointment.

"I don't know if I can."

Ward sat up and studied Skye's face. He covered her hand with his own. "You want to meet your mother. I know that it is scary but…"

Skye's head whipped toward Ward and she asked, "My mother?"

He nodded. "I don't have any proof but the woman claims to be your mother."

Skye opened her mouth to speak but stopped hearing a knock at the door. She swallowed thickly and started to tremble. "Come in."

The bedroom door opened and light flowed into the darkened room. There stood Amora wearing black wool slacks and a silver cable knit sweater. Her long blond tresses hung down her back and swayed as she walked into the room.

"I knew you were awake. I tried to hold off as long as I could but I couldn't wait any longer. My name is Amora…"

Skye looked at Ward nervously and then looked back to the woman. She slid out of the bed and walked the short distance to the door. A warm feeling surged through Skye as she approached the woman. It was like all of her dreams but better somehow. Countless emotions flowed through her body but the most prominent was love. She felt love from this woman and any doubts about her identity left her instantly.

Amora stepped forward and drew the overwhelmed girl into her arms. She hummed a quiet lullaby.

Skye's eyes snapped open. "I know that tune. Where do I know that from?"

"You likely heard it in your dreams. I wanted to comfort you when I reached out. I didn't want the dreams to scare you. I only wanted for you to use them to find me," Amora replied.

"They didn't scare me. I just didn't understand them. All that I knew was that I needed to find you. Are you really my mother?"

Amora said, "Yes, you are my daughter. I lost you a very long time ago."

Skye's face paled and a look of confusion washed over her face. "I don't understand."

Amora kissed her cheek. She said, "There is much to explain but we should do that over a meal. I know firsthand how much teleportation can zap your energy here on Earth. It appears that you are in your mortal form. We'll figure all of that out. You and your boyfriend will need clothes. I have taken care of that. My favorite boutique here in the city sent over a few racks of clothing. I am certain that you two will be able to find something suitable to wear. I am very good at estimating sizes. Afterward we will have lunch together."

Ward asked, "Is it lunchtime?"

"Yes, it is just after noon. The two of you slept much longer than I anticipated."

Amora picked up the remote and the blackout shades slowly rose to allow the noon sunlight to shine in through the floor to ceiling windowpanes.

Ward blinked as the sunlight flooded the room. He couldn't believe they slept so late into the day. He decided to blame it on exhaustion.

Skye said, "I don't know if we have time for lunch."

Amora said, "There is all the time in the world now. You have only just arrived. You can't think of leaving yet."

Skye turned to look at Ward unsure of how to proceed.

Ward was sure by now S.H.I.E.L.D. would be looking for them. There was no way Agent Coulson could keep the situation quiet for this long. However, he couldn't deny the excited gleam in Skye's eyes.

He stood up and smiled at both women. "I think we have enough time for lunch. We can't leave without you finding out what you want to know, Skye."

She grinned excitedly and said, "Great!"

Amora smiled at Ward and then looked at Skye. She hugged the girl and said, "Get a shower and then come out to the living room to find something to wear."

* * *

**26. Origin Story**

* * *

After a very long lunch spent telling Skye about her own life, Amora folded the cloth napkin across her lap and then placed her hands atop one another on the table. She looked over at Skye's nervous face and smiled warmly. Amora possessed the power of telepathy but she refused to listen in on her daughter's thoughts. She understood how scary and unnerving this situation had to be for the girl. Everything she ever knew about herself, which admittedly was not much, was false.

She said, "I imagine that you have a lot of questions to ask me, Skye. Well, I am an open book. Ask away."

Skye's hand trembled as she placed her glass of water onto the table. She would have ordered something alcoholic if she wasn't trying to make a good first impression. At least the first part of lunch was a success. She was shocked that she even managed to eat lunch at all with her level of anxiety. However, the food was too delicious to leave uneaten and Amora was right. She felt a lot better now that she had eaten. Apparently, mothers knew best even if they were Asgardian.

She smiled. "I guess I'd like to know why you left me here on Earth when you returned to Asgard. Did you not want a child or would a half-human child not be welcome on Asgard?"

Amora's expression changed. "It was never my intention to leave you, Skye. I was living in Willowshire, New York. It is a small town in Westchester County."

Grant's mind went immediately to the property in Westchester County that they searched weeks ago. It could have just been a coincidence but he learned there weren't many of those in life.

"I was banished from Asgard for seducing Thor into falling in love with me. It was my hope to make the God of Thunder fall for me and overthrow is father, Odin, as the ruler of Asgard. I had very lofty goals. I was here for many years before I became pregnant with you. I longed for my home after discovering I was pregnant. I no longer wanted to live on this spinning blue orb. I asked Loki, Thor's brother, to plead my case to the king and he pardoned me."

Ward quickly realized that Amora was bad news and he was beginning to understand why Agent Coulson was reluctant to tell Skye the truth. He still didn't agree with the decision but he certainly understood the logic. Anyone mixed up with Loki was likely to be trouble.

Skye whispered, "You wanted to take me back home?"

"Of course I did. I wanted you to grow up on Asgard as I did. Growing up here would diminish your powers. We are not meant to live away from our world for very long. The longer we are here the weaker we become."

Skye tried to imagine growing up on a different planet with a mother to care for her.

Ward asked, "What happened? What changed your plans?"

"When my greatest enemy learned I would be returning she convinced my sister to join forces with her and they traveled here to kill me. An Asgardian that has been on Earth for too long begins to lose their powers. We are still stronger than humans are but we would be of no match for another Asgardian. I battled my sister and Karnilla valiantly but I lost. I was very nearly killed but Loki saved my life and took me back to Asgard. When I awakened and asked about you, he told me my home had been destroyed and he did not find you in the wreckage. I tried to reach out through our connection but I couldn't feel you. I thought for certain you had indeed perished. However, it seems more likely now that Lorelei, my sister, abducted you while Karnilla tried to kill me finally. She most definitely used her powers of sorcery to remove your powers. Without them you would be cut off from me forever."

Tears quietly slid down Skye's cheeks and she clutched Grant's hand for dear life. She asked, "How did you know that I was alive if our connection was severed?"

"You used your powers for the first time and my connection to you was reestablished. I felt the surge immediately but it fizzled out as soon as I felt it. Once I knew that you were alive, I came here in search of you. I waited daily for you to use your powers again but the bursts were too brief. In the meantime, I spoke to you through your dreams. I hoped that you would figure things out and find me. And you did. I would have never willingly abandoned you, Skye. Not in a million years."

Skye felt overwhelmed by everything. Her worst fears were allayed. Her parents didn't abandon her all those years ago. They thought that she was dead and the moment that Amora knew otherwise, she came back to Earth to find her. It was more than Skye could have ever dreamed of as a child. She had a mother that wanted her. She couldn't stop the tears that flowed from her eyes. There was happiness for gaining a mother after so long but there was great sadness for all the time she lost with her mother. However, something dawned on Skye. Amora didn't mention the identity of her father.

She dried her eyes with the napkin and tried to regain her composure. Skye asked, "Does my father know that I am alive? Is he still alive?"

She smiled, "I told him that I felt your presence on Earth and he didn't believe me. I cannot blame him, as it is an unbelievable story. The child we thought was lost to us forever has been living here for two decades. It seems like a work of fiction and he thought it was a dream on my part but I knew it was real. I knew you were real."

Ward's eyes widened but he kept his mouth shut. Skye wasn't just half-Asgardian.

A look of disappointment settled onto Skye's features. She asked, "He is still on Asgard? Will I ever be able to meet him?"

"Well, I stayed gone a little longer than expected. Your father arrived from Asgard last night. I thought it best that I talk to you first before you met him. I needed to explain everything. Your father has the tendency to be overwhelming. If everyone is finished with lunch, we can go meet him. He is waiting for us. I'm just going to go pay the bill."

After Amora left the table, Skye looked at Ward and chewed at her lip nervously. "Will you come with us?"

He smiled, "I am at your side for all of this. I won't leave you, Skye. I'm happy for you. You know that, right?"

She nodded and hugged him. "I do. I hope he likes me."

Ward asked, "Who could meet you and not fall in love with you?"

She blushed and shook her head. "As I remember it you didn't like me very much when we first met."

"You were a threat and I didn't trust you."

"And now?"

He smiled, "Now I know that you were just a kid looking for information about her parents. I understand why you railed against government agencies keeping secrets from you. S.H.I.E.L.D. was keeping a major secret from you. Everyone has a right to know where they came from."

* * *

**27. No Hero Among Them**

* * *

Skye and Ward sat side by side on the couch in Amora's living room. Ward was grateful for the heat the fireplace was putting out. They were only outside for a few minutes but that was enough time to chill him through and through. Arctic temperatures and strong winds were battering New York. It made traveling unpleasant but Skye couldn't help thinking it looked like a winter wonderland. The snow-covered landscape reminded her of a fairytale she read as a child. Honestly, the entire day read like a child's dream. She met her mother for the first time and she was amazing.

Amora was more than she could have ever wished for in all of her silly dreams. Maybe it was over exuberance or maybe it was real. Skye felt loved the moment she saw Amora in person for the first time. She had this overwhelming urge to hug her and she felt safe.

Now she would meet her father. She didn't know very much about Amora's relationship with him but Skye was good at reading people. She saw how her mother lit up when she spoke of him. Skye only hoped that she would have the same instant connection with him that she had with Amora. It would be the perfect end to her fairytale.

In theory, she wanted to meet her father but she was nervous. Would she measure up to his expectations? What were his expectations? Amora was sweet and maternal but Skye had no way of knowing what her father would be like. She started to think that perhaps meeting one parent was enough for one day, but then again her father had traveled from Asgard to see her.

Grant squeezed her hand in support and gave her a comforting smile. He said, "Your leg is shaking non-stop. You have nothing to be worried about."

Skye stopped shaking her leg and smiled at him. "I'm sorry."

Just then Amora and walked into the room with a dark haired man that was about her height. He wore a self-assured smile and an impressive three-piece suit.

Skye stood up to greet her father and felt like her knees might buckle under her nerves.

"I've been waiting a long time to meet you. I didn't expect lunch to take so long. I thought Amora might have spirited you away."

Amora kissed him and then smiled. "Where in the nine realms could I run where you would not find me, my love?"

He chuckled softly at the flattery and then stepped forward to greet Skye. Briefly, he considered shaking her hand but instead he enveloped her tiny frame in a warm embrace. He pressed a feather light kiss against the crown of her head.

"My sweet girl, it is very nice to meet you."

Skye couldn't deny the warm glow she felt after the hug. It was more than she could have hoped for in a million years. Her fear of not connecting with her father was all but gone from her mind.

She whispered, "Hi. It is nice to meet you. I'm Skye."

He laughed heartily and looked to Amora. "She's timid. I never imagined a child of ours could be timid. I suspect it is the years spent on this planet. You'll get past that once we get you home."

Amora's eyes widened and she cleared her throat. "We were hoping that you would come to Asgard for a visit, Skye. You should visit your home planet and it will help us remove whatever spell Lorelei cast that is limiting your powers. The staff gave you a bit of a spark but you are not at your full-force. Besides, you need to go to Asgard to recharge. You've been on Earth too long."

Everything was happening too quickly and Skye was starting to feel uncertain. She looked to Ward but saw the strange expression on his face. She saw the quickening rise and fall of his chest. He was certainly anxious about something. It was then she noticed the sweaty state of his hand.

"Grant? Is everything okay?"

Amora laughed. "I suspect he has recognized your father where in your shock you have not."

"Recognized him? Why should I recognize him? Have we met before?" asked Skye.

Ward said, "He's Thor's brother…Loki."

Skye's eyes widened and the man's appearance quickly registered in her brain. She couldn't understand how she could have possibly not recognized him. She said, "You tried to destroy Earth. You wrecked the very city we're in."

"Destroy is such a harsh word. I didn't want to destroy it. I only wanted to rule it. The damage was just a byproduct of the event. Honestly, the Chitauri and the Avengers caused most of the damage. I understand from Amora that you work for S.H.I.E.L.D."

Skye nodded and said, "I'm an agent in training."

"You've gone to the academy?" asked Loki.

"No. I was added to a special team. I'm getting my training in the field instead of at the academy."

He said, "That's an interesting development."

Amora said, "Loki, perhaps now is not the time."

Skye asked, "Not the time for what?"

Loki said, "You know one of your mother's many abilities is telepathy. She can read anyone's mind and sometimes she just can't help having a little listen in. During lunch, your companion seemed very disconcerted by her involvement with me. However, that isn't the only thing she overheard."

Skye looked to Ward and then over at Amora. "What's he talking about?"

Amora sighed and shot Loki a glare. "Well, perhaps it is best if Agent Ward were to tell you on his own."

Ward nodded and said, "We should speak alone, Skye. Excuse us?"

Amora nodded. "Please, take your time."

Loki chuckled and then sat on the couch stretching his arms across the back. He looked incredibly smug.

"She is obviously in love with him, Loki. He is certainly in love with her. We will not endear ourselves to her by destroying their relationship. I can't believe you practically told her she was coming to Asgard with us. You cannot just order her about."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has dug theirs claws into our child. They would not hesitate for a moment to use her against us in our future endeavors. I have done nothing wrong by leading Skye to the truth. As far as telling her about Asgard I do not intend to give her a choice in the matter. She must come with us for her own well-being. I am her father and I command it. When we take over Asgard our daughter will be at our side. With our blood coursing through her veins she will be the greatest leader and sorcerer that the nine realms have ever seen."

Amora said, "Lovely. You have only just met her and you are already making grand proclamations about her future with no regard for her wishes. That sounds very much like Odin."

Loki frowned deeply and said, "Steady on. I am nothing like my father. This is for the best."

She smiled knowing that she struck a nerve by comparing him to Odin. "I am sure he thought the same about not telling you the truth about who you are. He made an error that hurt you deeply. Do not do the same to our daughter. You had centuries to love Odin. Skye has had less than ten minutes to even know you. If you push her away then S.H.I.E.L.D. wins and we will lose our daughter for a second time. Besides we have more pressing matters at hand."

"Lorelei…"

"Yes. I see a reunion in our future. One Lorelei will never forget," said Amora, she laughed evilly.

* * *

**28. Confessions**

* * *

Skye sat on the edge of the bed and watched as Ward paced the length of the bedroom. It was surprising behavior from the stalwart G-man. She couldn't remember a time she ever witnessed him so undone. It made her nervous. It also made her wish that she too had the power of telepathy. Although it occurred to her that she might.

Skye didn't really know what powers she might possess and according to her parents she wouldn't as long as she remained on Earth. They wanted her to visit Asgard so that they could fix her. Skye wasn't sure she wanted to know what that would mean. Who would she be after gaining her powers?

She also wasn't pleased that Loki was her father. He was a menace and self-righteous. He saw nothing wrong with the destruction he rained down on New York. However, it occurred to her that getting to know him wasn't the same as being complicit in his past crimes. She wanted to at least get to know the man that had embraced her on sight.

Ward said, "I don't know where to start."

"You can tell me anything, Grant. What's going on? What was on your mind at lunch?"

He stopped pacing and looked into her eyes. "I knew that Agent Coulson was hiding something since the night after we apprehended the berserkers. There was something odd about him when I said that you were in danger. It was as if he knew something I didn't. He told me it was because he'd seen the surveillance video of that pair breaking into your hotel room. I accepted it but only just. It was sort of in the back of my mind since then but last night in his office I put 1 and 2 together and made three."

"What are you talking about? What has A.C. been hiding from me?"

"He's known the identity of your mother for awhile. For how long I can't be sure. I confronted him last night after you left the office and he said that I couldn't tell you anything and he wouldn't answer any of my questions because it was above my clearance. The more I've thought about everything the more I realize there is no way Coulson didn't know about you. You had a complete physical when you officially joined the agency months ago. The analysis of your blood would have been flagged as non-human. I don't know if alien DNA works the same as human DNA but S.H.I.E.L.D. has samples of Loki's blood in cold storage. It has to be logged into our database. The agency would have run your DNA against the database. I think they knew that Loki was your father. I can't prove it but…"

Skye felt as if the rug had been snatched from underneath her. She had put her trust into Phil Coulson and he betrayed her on a level she could barely comprehend. He saw how desperately she wanted to find her parents and he hid the truth from her.

"Why?"

Ward shook his head. "I don't know everything but he said it was to keep you safe from a threat. I'm sorry. I should have told you my suspicions."

She shook her head. "You don't need to apologize, Grant. He ordered you not to tell me the truth but when I started to freak out and wanted to come here…you didn't let him stop me."

Ward took a breath and had a seat beside her on the bed. He took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Well, you've met your parents now. How do you feel?"

"Honestly?"

He nodded.

"It feels amazing. I know that Loki being my father is…"

"A disaster with you being a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent but Thor is your uncle and he is an Avenger."

Skye said, "I think that I might take a break from that."

Ward look shocked. He asked, "What are you saying? You're quitting?"

"They lied to me, Ward. I had to wear a bracelet for weeks that tracked my electronic activity. I felt ostracized and I was scared of being kicked off the team because I couldn't be trusted. All along A.C. was keeping the biggest secret of all. He knew my parents were out there. He lied to me about that document. I wish I could get my hands on the real thing. I wish I knew what it really said."

Ward said, "You could always find out. You aren't wearing your bracelet and considering the identity of your father I doubt your parents would disapprove of you doing a little hacking."

Her eyes widened.

He said, "You need the whole truth to make the right decision. Whatever is in that file is about you. You should read it."

Skye nodded and walked out of the bedroom. She returned to the living room and said, "I need a laptop. I'd like to know what S.H.I.E.L.D. really knows about me before I go to Asgard with you."

Loki grinned seeing that his planned had worked beautifully.

Amora said, "I have a laptop here."

She picked up the laptop and handed it to Skye.

Ward entered the living room and had a seat in a chair. He liked watching Skye work but he also wondered what she might find. He said, "You're going to need my credentials to get you into the protected part of the server. My User ID is my badge number. My password is Foxtrot-Tang-Tango-Echo-Bravo-Yankee-Foxtrot-Lima-Niner."

"Grant are you sure? S.H.I.E.L.D. will know that you are helping me if I use this."

He kissed her cheek. "I don't care."

Skye sat down on the floor and placed the laptop on the coffee table. She began hacking into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s mainframe. She had been working on a backdoor into the system prior to Coulson putting the internet nanny on her but having Grant's Level 7 credentials helped. It took awhile but soon enough she slapped the tabletop excitedly.

"I'm in! Do you have a printer? S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to figure out pretty soon that I breached their security. I accessed files above Grant's clearance level. I've only got a three minute window before the system does its next automated security sweep."

Amora said, "There is a wireless printer over there. Just click print."

Skye clicked print and then ran across the room to get the document. Her eyes scanned the document and she felt like she might collapse under the weight of the information.

"I was taken to an orphanage by Agent Linda Avery months after you thought I died. It says here I was discovered in connection with a 0-8-4. What's a 0-8-4?"

Grant said, "An object of unknown origin. It is usually alien, powerful, and mostly dangerous in my experience. That Chitauri helmet we found could be a 0-8-4."

Skye skimmed the additional pages and froze.

He asked, "What?"

"They knew. They knew Amora and Loki were my parents. It is right here in black and white. You're right. They ran my DNA against the database and came up with two matches. I know why Loki's DNA is there. Why would your DNA be in the database?"

Amora said, "I might have gotten into a little trouble with S.H.I.E.L.D. over the years. I just don't make quite as much noise as your father does. I have a knack for just making people do what I want. They don't call me the Enchantress for nothing. The last time I was on Earth, I might have tried to control the leader of a major country. It worked for months before S.H.I.E.L.D. figured it out and ruined my fun."

Ward asked, "Can I see that?"

Skye handed him the documents. She felt disgusted and betrayed.

He read over the paperwork and noticed the color code at the top. "I'm not sure that Coulson knew about Loki being your father. The document with your mother's identity is accessible by someone with a level 8 clearance. The document with details about your father is level 10 security clearance. That's above Agent Coulson's clearance."

Skye asked, "Who would have a security clearance that high?"

"Off the top of my head I would say the highest members of government and Director Fury. Even Maria Hill only has a level 9 security clearance."

"Agent Coulson knew about my mother but not my father."

Ward said, "It looks that way. Maybe he thought your father was someone that might hurt you. I'm not excusing his lies. He should have told you the truth but he seemed genuinely concerned for you, Skye."

Skye asked, "What am I supposed to do now?"

Amora grabbed Loki's arm and pulled him off to the side. "Are you happy now?"

"I haven't been this happy in years. Don't look so glum. She's going to come home with us now."

Amora said, "She won't stay long because she loves him. Skye will return to Earth and we will lose her again. Their connection is strong."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hi all! I am so glad that everyone enjoyed the last chapter. I have thoroughly enjoyed each time I received a new review, follow, or favorite. The positive feedback has been overwhelming. The story is on the home stretch but there will be a sequel. I have already started writing the first chapter. This chapter delves a little deeper into the Marvel movie Universe.**

* * *

**29. The Long Walk**

* * *

Grant Ward walked around the streets of Queens, New York. He told Skye that he was going for a walk to clear his head. In truth, he needed to make contact with his superior. Going off the grid and evading S.H.I.E.L.D. was one thing. This was quite another.

He was wearing as wearing a hat and a pair of sunglasses her borrowed from Loki. Grant couldn't be picked up on any surveillance cameras because S.H.I.E.L.D.'s software might pick him out of the crowd. He couldn't alert them to his presence.

Grant came to a stop in front of a tiny bodega and walked inside. A tiny bell rang to alert the clerk that someone entered the store.

A gray-haired woman stood behind the counter reading a newspaper. She glanced up briefly to see who entered the store and then went back to reading her paper.

Agent Ward walked through the tiny store surveying the inventory. His eyes fell across a home pregnancy test and stopped. His mind went back to the night in Coulson's office. He remembered how uncertain Skye appeared when questioned about a possible pregnancy.

He muttered to himself. "Could she be?"

Skye being pregnant would certainly make sense. She hadn't been feeling like herself lately. She felt sick more often than not but had kept it all to herself fearing that it was connected to her new powers. Her last full body scan took place after she was attacked at the hotel. It would have been very early on in the pregnancy and Simmons could have missed it if she wasn't looking for it.

He grabbed a box containing five pregnancy tests and walked over to the cash register. He spotted Skye's favorite candy bar and grabbed a couple of those. Ward said, "I'd like one of those cell phones as well."

The woman nodded and turned around to grab a package. She placed it on the counter. "Is this all?"

Grant surveyed his purchases and nodded, "That's all."

She quickly rung up his purchases and bagged them She said, "You're total is 68.89."

After he paid Ward left the store stopped and quickly assembled the phone. He closed his eyes and centered himself. It had to be done and there was no sense in second-guessing himself. Grant entered the number he knew by heart and waited for the line to begin to ring.

"How the hell are ya, kid? I was beginning to think you weren't going to check in. What's going on?" asked Agent John Garrett.

Ward started walking again. He needed to make it back to Midtown Manhattan before Skye became suspicious about his disappearance or worse misinterpreted his intentions.

"I am sorry about that, sir. I had some unforeseen complications that put me out of range for a while. This has been my first chance to get away."

He asked, "Does this have anything to do with the security breach at S.H.I.E.L.D. yesterday? It is all being kept very hush-hush by Director Fury but I was able to gather enough intelligence to know that your creds were used to give a hacker a keyhole into the database.

Grant should have expected as much. However, he was curious about why Director Fury would have kept his actions quiet. Furthermore, Agent Garrett's lack of questions about his location meant that the agency wasn't aware that he and Skye had gone missing.

"Yes, the two situations are related. Skye teleported us off of the bus the other night to find her mother. I let her use my credentials so that she could hack the system to find out if S.H.I.E.L.D. knew her mother's identity all along."

Agent Garrett replied, "I'm glad that you were honest with me. I was beginning to wonder if you'd forgotten your loyalties. When I found out your credentials were used to access the database I pulled the files accessed. Skye is a smart one. She accessed more than just her file when she hacked the database but I was easily able to figure out her target. I can't believe your little crush is Asgardian. Imagine our luck! It seems like you getting so cozy with her has paid off after all. I was beginning to think you might be going a little soft. How long have you known the truth?"

Grant said, "I found out the other night during a mission. She used a fireball to save my life. Skye had been hiding the truth from everyone. She didn't know that she was Asgardian. She didn't know what was going on with her but she was scared."

The man laughed heartily. "It sounds like she hopelessly devoted to you. That is something that will work in our favor. Do you think she can be turned? Having an Asgardian would be a great asset for Hydra." It would also be a feather in his cap. Hydra's ties in S.H.I.E.L.D. ran deep but they didn't have any operatives with powers. That was one of the reasons getting the Centipede Project off the ground was so important. The Avengers were an ever present threat and would prove troublesome when Hydra finally came out of the shadows.

Ward swallowed thickly. He didn't like where this conversation was headed. He didn't want Skye anywhere near John. The man could be unpredictable and Skye was spirited he didn't want anything to happen to her. "I'm not sure. She's pretty pissed off with Coulson and S.H.I.E.L.D. as a whole for keeping this secret from her. I'm not sure that she will even go back."

"Director Fury was my S.O. back in the day. There is no way he is going to let an Asgardian slip through his fingers. He is probably running an off book operation to find the two o you right now. It won't take long for him to find your location. You should bring Skye to me. I can offer the two of you safe haven."

"She's not going to be ready to leave just yet. She just met her parents. She is trying to get to know them."

Agent Garrett laughed. "Let me try this again. Bring her to me, Ward."

Grant snapped. "How do you suggest I take and Asgardian by force with her parents nearby. Loki and Amora will kill me within seconds. I can turn Skye but it can't be quickly."

"Loki is here? On Earth? Oh, this just keeps getting better."

"Yes, he came here looking for Amora."

Agent Garrett took a moment to think about the implications. "Well, then your job is to keep Skye from returning to Coulson's team. Keep her with her parents and turn her. Don't disappoint me Grant."

"I won't sir."

"I want another update in 24-hours. Where are you? I'd like to come and meet Skye."

He said, "We're in Queens."

"Well, I'm in Sydney but I can be there by tomorrow. I'll see you then, Grant."

Ward ended the call and took the SIM card out of the phone. He dropped it into a trashcan. Ward dropped the phone onto the ground. He crushed the thin plastic device with the heel of his shoe and then tossed it into a gutter.

* * *

**30****. The Darkness**

* * *

That evening Skye and Ward ate dinner with Loki and Amora. The table sat in the optimal spot for the best views of the city's landscape. The lights of the cars and from the other buildings tinkled like not so distant stars.

One of Amora's favorite restaurants in the city delivered their dinner. Earlier she admitted to missing the food when she was on Asgard. Loki had scoffed at the notion that Earth could offer anything remotely more palatable than the cuisine on Asgard. The food was somewhat similar but free from the pollutants so common on Earth.

Loki was concerned with getting Skye back to Asgard. Initially, he intended to lie to her and suggest it was the only way to remove whatever enchantment Lorelei placed on Skye to remove her powers. The staff had only given her a little spark. However, Amora shut that idea down immediately. It was a lie that could only come back to bite them in the future.

Amora was more than capable of removing the enchantment on Skye. It just took her some time to think of the best course of action. Lorelei leaned on her powers of seduction more than her powers of sorcery. Her laziness resulted in her becoming a one trick pony. She only knew of a few ways to bind someone's powers. It was really just a process of elimination. It took Amora less than an hour to find the accurate remedy. She fully restored Skye's powers. However, she was still weakened from being on Earth since birth.

Amora said, "Skye, we would really like for you to come to Asgard with us. I understand if you wouldn't want to stay forever but it really is a beautiful place. I'd like for you to see it."

Skye reached out to grab her glass of water and drank from it while she tried to figure out an answer. She glanced longingly at Grant's glass of wine. This dinner would be less painstaking with wine. "I am still giving it some thought. It is a very big decision. I would be leaving everything I know behind here on Earth. I don't anything about Asgard. I do want to get to know both of you."

Ward had been watching Skye throughout dinner. He noticed that she refused wine at the beginning of the meal and only drank water. He surmised that he was right to have bought the pregnancy tests. He wanted to speak to her about it. However, there had not been a moment to breathe since then let alone ask such an important question.

"Skye, I understand your trepidation but I would urge to consider our offer. You need not stay on Asgard forever. What is it that concerns you most?" Amora knew that cajoling was better than forcing.

Skye looked at Ward. Leaving Grant behind was the thing that concerned her most but that hardly seemed appropriate. She said, "I don't know anything about Asgard or either of you. I guess I don't really know anything about myself either."

Loki studied the uncertain expression on Skye's face. The good news was that she had not yet decided to stay on Earth. Loki inquired, "What would you like to know?"

"Well, I'm full Asgardian. Ward and I thought that I might only be part but then we met you. I'm not sure what all of that means for me."

Loki said, "You are only half Asgardian for I am not who you think I am."

Ward sat up in his chair a little more. He knew this wasn't his conversation to have but he was incredibly interested.

Skye asked, "What are you talking about? You are Thor's brother, Loki. He is Asgardian."

He smiled. "I am sure that you have noticed our striking differences in appearance. I am not Asgardian. I am a frost giant." Loki closed his eyes and his face turned blue as his true features showed through.

Skye clasped a hand over her mouth and gasped.

"My adoptive father, Odin, found me as an infant after killing my real father in battle. He decided to keep me and raise me as his own son. You are half frost giant and half Asgardian. You will be quite powerful. The fireballs, the energy pulse, and the teleportation are all mere child's play compared to what you are truly capable of sweet girl. You have the combined powers of an Asgardian and a frost giant. If you allow Amora to teach you sorcery you will be greater than anyone could ever imagine."

Skye said, "That sounds scary. Power can be a dangerous thing for any one person to wield."

Amora noticed a brief flicker of something in Ward's eyes. She decided to have a listen in on his thoughts. They couldn't be too careful with their daughter. If Grant was a threat Loki would prove to be the least of his worries.

"You are good of heart. You will be like my mother, Frigga. She taught me all I know about sorcery. I will pass that knowledge onto you."

Skye lit up. "If I go to Asgard would I be able to meet her?"

Amora's eyes widened. She knew this was a sore subject for Loki.

Loki stood up from the table and walked a few steps over to the window. It was a valid question and one he should have been prepared for considering the nature of their conversation. However, he still felt a visceral pain whenever he thought of Frigga at length. There were many he wished to see die but not his mother. Never her. He now regretted how bitter he was toward Frigga. Loki recognized now that she loved him as much as she loved Thor. His feelings of inadequacy came from Odin and their subjects that quietly whispered of his difference in appearance compared to Thor or other Asgardians. It seemed that everything Loki always wanted…Thor had first. It wasn't just jealousy on his part. He spent his entire life feeling less than everyone else.

Loki said, "No, I'm afraid not. Odin's enemies slew my mother. She died not long ago."

Skye stood up and hugged Loki without thinking. "I'm so sorry. I wish I would have had the chance to meet her."

Loki tightened his arms around Skye and said, "She would have loved you. No matter my misdeeds, my mother always loved me. Odin would have seen me dead for my crimes on Earth. I live only because of her mercy."

"Then I am grateful for her mercy or I would have never gotten the opportunity to meet you."

He said, "I'd like to show you something if I might. Do you like the snow?"

"I love it. I always have. I could spend hours in it when I was kid. Everyone else would be freezing but - I couldn't feel a thing."

Loki smiled and touched the window. Ice crystals quickly spread across the surface. "You should try it for yourself."

Skye trailed her finger over the glass and gasped seeing ice crystals appearing. However, the ice accumulated too quickly and formed a thick coating. The weight of the ice cracked the glass. "I'm sorry!"

Loki laughed heartily.

"It is nothing to be sorry for, Skye. The glass is shatter proof. It will splinter but not break. The window is also double-paned," explained Amora.

Skye said, "I…I need some fresh air. I'm sorry." She turned and ran from the apartment.

Ward was shocked by Skye's sudden exit. He stood up. "I'll make sure that she is okay."

Loki said, "No. I may have pushed her too quickly. I will go see how she's doing."

Grant sat back down and tried not to worry about Skye.

Amora smiled at him. "I'm glad that we have a moment alone, Grant. My daughter thinks very highly of you."

"Skye is very important to me."

"I can see that. You are protective of her. I believe that she is in love. I even believe that you love her."

Grant swallowed thickly. He vividly remembered uttering those words to Skye in front of Agent Coulson. He meant them even if he didn't mean for them to come out in that moment.

Amora caressed his face bringing him under her enchantment. She said, "However, I have some doubts about who you really are. You have tried valiantly to keep your thoughts at bay because you know I can hear them. You have something to hide from me and I want to know what it is. If I don't like it I am going to let Loki throw you out of the window Skye just cracked. I promise that is a long way down. You will tell me the truth now."

Ward stared blankly at Amora and said, "I've been lying to Skye and my entire team. I do not take my orders from Agent Coulson. I have another purpose for being on the bus."

"What is that purpose, Grant?"

"I've been tasked with finding out how Agent Coulson was brought back to life after Loki killed him. There are people who really want to know."

Amora's eyes widened. She had not anticipated this development. "Who are these people?"

"Hydra. There are operatives throughout the ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D. waiting to rise up and seize power. Once they arise chaos will reign and S.H.I.E.L.D. will be but a memory."

Amora asked, "Are your feelings for my daughter genuine?"

Ward said, "Yes. I wasn't supposed to get close to her but I did. I fell in love with Skye and it has become a distraction. I am more concerned with protecting her than finding out Agent Coulson's secret."

She smirked. "Would you kill for her?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Amora continued, "Would you die for her?"

"In a heartbeat. I may have to die for her."

"Why is that?"

Ward said, "I bought a cell phone today when I went for a walk. I contacted my handler. I had been out of touch for too long. Skye used my password to access the database. He found out and wanted to know what was so important that she would hack S.H.I.E.L.D. using my credentials. He accessed her file and found out that you are her mother and Loki is her father. I owe him everything. He wants me to turn Skye so that Hydra can use her. He is coming to New York tomorrow. He believes that we are in Queens. I will guard her with my life. Agent Garrett will not take her from me."

Amora removed her hand from his cheek and sat back in her chair.

Grant snapped out of it instantly and said, "Please, don't tell Skye what I told you. I will lose her. I can't lose her."

She smiled. "I have no interest in breaking my daughter's heart. She loves you. However, Skye will be a target for this Hydra if she remains on Earth. She must come to Asgard where she can regain her strength. I fear she will stay if you stay. You should come with her. You could be useful."

"I will be a human on Asgard…"

Amora said, "You have the rage of a berserker. I have seen it your thoughts. Although you are a human, you can be taught the art of sorcery. There could be no better teachers than Loki and I. I learned a great deal of what I know by manipulating other sorcerers into revealing their most powerful secrets. I could make you into so much more than what you are. You can be free of the ties that bind you here. Give it some thought. I will not force you."

* * *

**31. Losing Battle**

* * *

Early the next morning Ward woke up hearing Skye retching from behind the bathroom door. He considered asking if she was okay but decided against it. He still had a lot on his mind after his conversation with Amora after dinner. They managed to capture less than three hours of sleep last night and it was taking its toll.

Skye and Ward spent the previous night getting to know Loki and Amora. There was much to learn about two people who had lived as long as they had. They were both masterful storytellers so they wove a vibrant tapestry describing their pasts and the majesty of Asgard. Skye was enthralled by each detail and she tried to commit it all to memory. Despite his misgivings, Ward found himself deeply interested in their stories as well. However, most importantly he was thrilled to see sheer joy and adoration on Skye's face. He couldn't remember a time he had ever seen her so happy.

Furthermore, the late night spent with Amora and Loki gave Grant the opportunity to observe their behavior towards Skye. While she was busy, being enamored by their tales Ward was watching their body language and listening to the way they spoke to her.

He believed that they both truly adored Skye. That was good news for her. She deserved to have a family that loved her. The more she talked with Loki and Amora the more it seemed likely that she would choose to go to Asgard. It made perfect sense for her to want to abandon ship and go home with her parents. She was furious with Agent Coulson and S.H.I.E.L.D. for lying to her. She was hurt that they conspired against her from infancy.

Agent Garrett's interest in Skye was another good reason for her to go to Asgard. He was furious for not thinking through the consequences of allowing Skye to use his credentials. It was stupid and impulsive and now she was on Garrett's radar. He knew better than to trust his mentor. The man would demand that he turn Skye over as soon as he had plans to circumvent Loki and Amora. Even the legendary Agent John Garrett wasn't interested in going toe to toe against two Asgardians. It was common knowledge that Loki had no problem eliminating anyone that dared get in his way.

When you added everything up Skye going to Asgard was the only solution that kept her safe. However, he selfishly didn't want her to leave him. Ward was worried that he would never see her again. He could not bear that option.

There was so much between them that was unresolved and he wasn't ready to just let that go. He wasn't ready to let her go, but he knew keeping Skye there because of her emotions for him was manipulative and dangerous. He wouldn't tug on her heartstrings that way.

On the other hand, Grant didn't know if he could be the good guy and just pretend that he wouldn't be heartbroken if she left. Amora's offer of cutting the ties that bound him was beginning to look more and more appealing.

He hoped the morning would provide clarity. However, in the cold light of day things didn't seem any clearer from his perspective. He knew what was right and he knew what he owed Agent Garrett. Unfortunately, those two desires were not compatible in the least.

Loki intended for them to leave that afternoon. Grant was inclined to agree with his thoughts. The longer they stayed on Earth the more likely it would be for S.H.I.E.L.D. or Hydra to find them. The best thing for Skye was to be long gone before that happened.

Skye returned to bed having brushed her teeth. She snuggled up against Ward's body and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I woke you. I must have eaten something that didn't agree with me last night."

Ward said, "It is okay. I just hope you start feeling better, baby. We should get up soon. Amora said breakfast was at 10:00. I can hear them in the kitchen."

Skye traced the edges of forming bruise on Ward's chest. She hated that he had gotten hurt trying to protect her. He always brushed off his injuries but that didn't stop Skye from worrying. "We'll get up soon. I wish every morning could be like this."

Ward kissed her softly and looked down into her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I like waking up in your arms. It is nice not having to hide our relationship even if it is just for a moment. This makes it feel real." Hiding their relationship from Agent Coulson and Agent May had been difficult. Skye was always careful not to let the façade slip and it was tiring. Ward was used to being duplicitous because of his job description but it didn't come naturally to Skye with people she loved.

Ward promised. "It is real." He smiled. "There is no hiding it from the team now. They all heard me say that I love you."

Her eyes widened and then she looked up into Ward's eyes worriedly. "I guess I forgot about that."

"I am not surprised. You weren't exactly yourself. Do you remember saying it back to me?" Ward was shocked to feel an uneasiness settle over him. Skye wasn't exactly herself when she returned his declaration of love. He couldn't blame her if she decided to take it back.

She nodded. "I remember you saying that you love me and I remember saying it in return. I guess I just forgot about anyone else being there. I felt like it was only us even though we essentially had an audience."

Ward smiled and said, "We were the only two people that mattered right then."

Skye seemed to be deep in her own thoughts. She rubbed the medallion Ward had given her. It was quickly becoming a method for soothing her. She found herself doing it unconsciously whenever something was on her mind.

Ward asked, "Penny for your thoughts?"

She asked, "What would S.H.I.E.L.D. do if they found out my parents were here on Earth?"

He shook his head. "That is a good question. I don't know. There are a number of wheels that would be set in motion I can't say for sure, Skye."

"Grant, you know S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol backwards and forwards. I'm not asking you to give me a definite battle plan. I just want to know the most likely scenario. You said yourself that by now big S.H.I.E.L.D. must know about our disappearance. I hacked their system. They will be looking for us. What will they do to my parents?"

He scrubbed at his scruffy face and thought about her question seriously. He put his years of service to S.H.I.E.L.D. to use and tried to figure out their game plan.

"If they managed to locate Loki and Amora I have no doubt that they would be detained. Director Fury might decide to send them back to Asgard or he might decide they are too dangerous to release. Thor took Loki back to Asgard to answer for his crimes here on Earth. Obviously, he's been released and he is free to roam the universe at his leisure." He winced seeing the look of horror on Skye's face.

Skye shook her head. "I just found my parents. I am not about to let them be thrown into some S.H.I.E.L.D. black hole where I may never hear from them again. Not to mention what they will do to you for not calling this in. It is better if you have me to blame for all of this. You can say I held you hostage. I have made my decision, Grant. When my parents leave this afternoon - I'm going with them."

Ward was expecting that to be Skye's decision but it still hit him like a ton of bricks. She was leaving and he had no idea when or if she would return.

"I don't want to lose you." Grant swallowed thickly and wondered where that trembling voice had come from. It sounded nothing like his own but they were the only people in the room.

Skye was taken aback by the raw emotion Ward was displaying. It wasn't in his nature to be openly vulnerable in such a way.

"I don't want to lose you, but I want the opportunity to get to know my parents. I can't do that here if S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to lock them up and throw away the key. I have to go to Asgard. It won't be forever. I'll come back. I promise."

Ward stroked her cheek. "Forever for me and for you is very different now. You are Asgardian. They live for thousands of years."

Skye's eyes became dewy and she tried to hold back her tears. "I'm so sorry, Grant. I love you but I have been waiting my whole life to meet my parents. I have to go but you could come with me."

Ward had been struggling with that idea after his conversation with Amora. Leaving Earth freed him from Agent Garrett and Hydra. However, he owed John for everything he did for him. He couldn't just leave him. At the same time, he shuddered at the thought of Skye leaving him. He wanted to be with her. He wanted to protect her. Going to Asgard with her would certainly make that easier. Furthermore, he was concerned that Skye was pregnant with his child. He firmly believed that he owed his child more than he owed Agent Garrett.

He asked, "Do you think your parents would agree to that? I don't think Loki likes me. I caught him staring daggers at me last night every time I touched you."

She smiled. "That is only because you are a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. If having you with me makes me more likely to go to Asgard and stay there then I think they might agree. We won't know if we don't ask, but you have to be sure. I don't want you to regret your decision. This is a huge decision."

"I am only leaving behind my career working for an agency that sent me on a mission to die and forced me to end a relationship with a girl I care deeply for. A girl they lied to and manipulated for some unknown reason. What if Loki says no?"

Skye said, "Then I'll stay here with you."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

Ward said, "I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What is it? It sounds serious."

He cleared his throat and searched for the right words. This was a delicate subject and he didn't like the idea of upsetting a woman that could throw a fireball at him. "You seemed unsure when Agent Coulson asked if you were pregnant. Were you just flustered because of the conversation we were trying to have with him or is there something we should be talking about?"

Skye looked like a deer in headlights. "I don't know. Maybe. I don't know. I have felt sick off and on lately. Not always in the morning."

Ward smiled slightly. She didn't seem anymore certain or less flustered than she did in Agent Coulson's office. "Skye…"

She said, "I don't know. I have never really had a reliable schedule. Then I had weird stuff going on with me anyway. You know…fireballs and weird dreams about my mother. Are you angry?"

"Why would I be angry? If you are pregnant you didn't do it alone."

"Well, I know that. I mean…this can't have been in your 5-year plan. Don't say that you don't have one because you are too ambitious not to have one."

Ward said, "I love you. Meeting you changed all of my plans and I'm okay with that."

"Do you mean that? You don't have to be the good guy. I won't hold it against you."

"I am right where I wanted to be, Skye. I keep making decisions to lead me away from S.H.I.E.L.D. and closer to you. I don't regret any of them, but we should probably find out if you are pregnant."

Skye threw her arms around his neck and smiled. "We can go to the pharmacy and get a test after we talk to my parents about you coming to Asgard."

Ward returned the hug and smiled. Just then, a horrible thought struck him. He thought back to their last mission and how the Centipede Super Soldier had carelessly tossed around Skye. He swallowed thickly but opted not to spoil the moment for Skye.

Ward said, "I bought a box of pregnancy tests yesterday when I went for my walk."

She sat back and looked at him. "Really?"

"Yes. You could always take a test now. At least then we will know before we talk to your parents."

Skye nodded slightly. "Okay…"

* * *

**32. Thunder**

* * *

Director Fury stood with Agent Coulson and Thor in Fitz/Simmons' lab. However, the young scientists were nowhere in sight. The men studied detailed maps of unidentified energy spikes across the globe for the last month. Finding Amora and Loki's entrance point might shed some light on their current location. Thus far, their search for Agent Ward and Skye was fruitless. Nick Fury was keeping the details of their search and indeed the disappearance of Ward and Skye in-house. No one outside of Coulson's plane would be looped into the investigation.

Thor was the exception to that edict. They needed his knowledge of Loki and Amora to try to predict their movements. It was very much like trying to find a needle in a haystack. There was a lot riding on the safe return of Ward and Skye. He had plans for both of them.

Director Fury had no doubt that Grant Ward would one day be an elite agent worthy of position that reflected his dedication. Two agents he had immense respect for and personally trained were mentoring him: Garrett and Coulson. The two men were vastly different but incredibly effective in the field. Moreover, they were amazing leaders. If even one iota of their skills and knowledge rubbed off on Grant Ward, he would be the perfect successor.

Skye was Fury's chance to mold an agent from the very start. This wouldn't be like other superheroes that were at times hard to manage. He would be there from the beginning as Skye's powers developed. She was just one of several trainees that Fury hoped to mold. His vision was for them to become the next Avengers. Now that he knew the dangers that could strike Earth at any moment there would always have to be new protectors waiting in the wings should one of his Avengers fall.

It was his hope that Ward would be the steward of these new Avengers in the future. He was cognizant of his own mortality. Nick was always in the thick of things. He wasn't the type of bureaucrat to remain safely ensconced in his office. He recognized that there was a risk every time he went out into the field but he wouldn't have it any other way. The world was rapidly changing and S.H.I.E.L.D. was at the forefront. Unfortunately, that often made his beloved agency a target from outside forces and from dubious internal struggles. It was one of the reasons he worked so hard to compartmentalize Skye's parentage.

Director Fury knew from the beginning that Skye was Amora's daughter. However, it wasn't until her blood work was processed by S.H.I.E.L.D. that he found out Loki was her father. He couldn't believe his luck at having a young Asgardian under his tutelage. Asgardians were not immortal but they could live for thousands of years. He didn't know who he could trust so maintaining the secret was paramount.

Coulson said, "I think New York is where our resources should be focused. There were two major energy spikes in the same location two weeks apart. Those dates match the information we have for when Amora and Loki arrived on Earth. It is a sparsely populated area in New York…it doesn't seem like a place that Amora and Loki would be able to hide. I can have Fitz start pulling police reports from the area. Someone was bound to have heard or seen something out of the ordinary."

Thor said, "Not necessarily. Amora is quite adept at blending in. She was exiled from Asgard for many years and Earth was her home. The Enchantress would have no difficulties remaining undetected if she desired. Loki too knows how to blend in with the crowd. Amora returns to Earth from time to time. I understand from Loki that it is to mourn the loss of their child. She possesses two homes in New York. Loki jokingly mentioned that the Chitauri's attack missed Amora's home in the city. Perhaps we should begin our search there."

Agent Coulson's eyes widened and he looked at Director Fury. He knew that Amora was Skye's mother but he had been clueless about the identity of her father. However, from the neutral look on Fury's face he could surmise that he was the only one in the dark. Once again, the levels of clearance were being used to shroud things in secrecy but to what end he was unsure. What could the director possibly gain for keeping such a secret?

Director Fury began, "Tell Agent May to set a course for New York City."

Coulson eyed Fury feeling his resentment only building. However, he swallowed it for the time being. The most important thing was to find Skye and Ward. "I will get Fitz to look for locations that escaped damage after Loki and the Chitauri attacked New York. That will narrow our search considerably."

After Coulson left the room Director Fury asked, "How long do you think Loki and Amora will stay here?"

"While I cannot be certain I believe they will leave immediately. They have their daughter now. There would be no reason to remain here."

Phil walked into the cockpit and said, "We're going to New York."

He grabbed onto the copilot's chair so he wouldn't be thrown when Melinda abruptly changed directions. She wasn't thrilled that Director Fury was on the plane.

Melinda entered the data into the navigation system and made a sharp turn shaking the plane up as she corrected course. "You don't look too happy."

Phil took a seat and said, "I've lost two agents. One of which I have been lying to for reasons I am not even sure of anymore. I just found out that Director Fury knows the identity of Skye's father. Loki. He probably has known from the beginning. That doesn't bring me any closer to knowing why Avery left her at the orphanage or why all of the agents are dead. I kept this secret for no reason."

"Well, it is safe to say Skye probably knows the truth now. No harm, no foul."

He raised an eyebrow. "You've been telling me to tell her the truth from the beginning. Why the change of heart?"

She said, "You were following protocol. We all have rules to follow and yours came from on high. I didn't know that when I was urging you to tell Skye the truth because you didn't tell me, Phil." Melinda knew too well the heartache that came with keeping secrets from the person you loved. She understood the pain of following orders you didn't like but you did so with the hope that it would keep the person that mattered most to you safe. Perhaps her insistence on Coulson telling Skye the truth was just her attempt to cleanse her soul vicariously.

"I couldn't and that's the problem. I understand the need for secrecy and perhaps the clearance levels have some use but sometimes they are misused. I don't think that S.H.I.E.L.D. should be able to keep secrets from agents about themselves."

May glanced at Phil and then asked, "Are we still talking about Skye?"

"Of course."

Phil would be lying if he said this didn't have something to do with his miraculous recovery in Tahiti. He knew the truth now. Phil knew that he died and that Director Fury moved Heaven and Earth to put him back together again. Most people would be grateful but Phil wasn't so sure. He knew that he suffered immensely while the doctors tried to repair the damage done to him. He was injected with drugs he had never heard of and operated on against his will. The only reason he knew of this was that Raina abducted him. He didn't understand why Director Fury felt the need to keep the truth of his recovery a secret. It was just one secret after another.

"When we find Skye I am going to tell her everything. I am going to tell her what happened to the agents that worked her case. I can only hope that she will forgive me for lying to her."

* * *

**33. Ultimatums**

* * *

Grant and Skye emerged from her bedroom freshly showered and dressed. They both looked at peace as they had made their decisions.

When Skye walked into the kitchen, she almost chuckled at the picture of domestic bliss. It was like some strange version of a Norman Rockwell painting.

Loki and Amora were sitting at the island drinking coffee and reading the newspaper in their pajamas. There was an impressive spread of fresh fruit, muffins, and breakfast foods. Skye smiled seeing place settings waiting for her and Ward.

She wondered if this would have been her childhood if she weren't stolen from her parents. Skye cleared her throat. "Good Morning."

Amora smiled. "Good morning. Did the two of you sleep well?"

Skye nodded. "We did. That bed is incredibly comfortable."

Loki frowned looking at Ward but then went back to reading his newspaper.

Amora said, "I am glad to hear it. I was hoping that you would like your room. I want both of you to feel comfortable here."

"I do. Are you busy? I was hoping that I could talk to the two of you about going to Asgard."

Loki closed his newspaper and looked at Skye with a smile. "I take it that you've made a decision?"

Skye took a deep breath and squeezed Grant's hand. "Well, that remains to be seen. Grant and I have talked about this and I would like him to come to Asgard with us. I love him and I don't want to lose him. I want to get to know both of you better but not if that means leaving Grant behind."

Loki stood up from the table. "That is out of the question. He is a human and does not belong on Asgard. He does not belong with you. I will find a suitable mate for you. I already have someone in mind. There is a young warrior by the name of Vali. I will introduce you to him when we return to Asgard. If you two get along then you will be married." He flashed a jovial smile. He thought his plan was great.

Ward's jaw tightened. "Skye is not marrying someone else."

Loki laughed. "Is she to marry you? An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Don't be absurd."

Skye said, "Then I am not going to Asgard. I will stay here with Ward. I have a boyfriend. I am not interested in an arranged marriage to someone I have never met. It was nice meeting both of you. We should get ready to leave, Ward. I am sure our team is looking for us."

Loki clenched his fist in anger. He was quite ready to throw Ward through a window to rid them of this problem.

Amora said, "I want everyone to calm down. Skye you aren't leaving until we talk this out and Loki you are not forcing our daughter into an arranged marriage with your protégé. Vali is nice enough but he will have to find a wife on his own. I would like to have a quiet word with you, Loki. Alone. You two should sit down and enjoy breakfast before it gets cold."

She grabbed Loki's arm and marched him down the hall to their bedroom. Amora closed the door and glared. He could be maddening and pigheaded at times. In some cases should found those qualities endearing. This was not one of those times.

"What do you think you're playing at?" asked Amora.

Loki said, "He is not a suitable mate and you know it! He is human. My brother's relationship with the human doctor is laughable and she is a weakness. He spends all of his time here. I will not allow that albatross to hang around our daughter's neck. She will come to Asgard because I will not give her a choice. Marrying Vali is optional."

"You are being unreasonable and stupid, Loki! We will lose her if you force this situation. I have already lost years with my child. I will not lose another. Hear me when I say this Loki. If you force Skye's hand and she stays here on Earth you will lose both of us. I will not be separated from my child for a second time. You can rule Asgard all on your own."

Loki grimaced. He reached out and pulled Amora to him. Her looked into her eyes and asked, "You would leave me?"

Amora whispered, "I love you, Loki. You are my destiny and I would die a million deaths in service to you, but I will not suffer the loss of my child for a second time. Not in service to your ego."

"Our child."

She asked, "What?"

He said, "Our child. Skye is our child and you are not the only one that lost her." Loki released Amora and walked over to the windows to look out at the city. His heart was not made of stone.

Amora saw his shoulders slump and walked over to him. She linked arms with Loki and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know that you grieved for her. I know that you love Skye and that you just want her to come home but this is not the way. She has our will…she will not be denied."

"The human will hold her back. He will not want to stay on Asgard forever. He will want to return to Earth and she will be even deeper in love with him. She will leave us to follow him. We will lose her again. He is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and an ally of Thor. What side do you think he will fall on when we rise to power against my brother? He is a liability! He will be a wedge between us and Skye."

She smiled looking into Loki's eyes and lightly caressed his cheek. "You couldn't be more wrong. Skye is the wedge between him and everything else, Loki. I have heard his thoughts. He has compromised himself beyond measure for our daughter and he will continue to do so. He is in love with her and she isn't even using her powers of enchantment. Yet. We should be more concerned with endearing our daughter to our cause because I believe that Agent Ward would follow her to the ends of the earth and beyond. Our plans do not include Earth and he has no real allegiance to Thor. I think he can be brought around slowly. More than his desire for our daughter, I see a warrior inside of him, Loki. He has the spirit of a berserker. He has wielded the berserker staff and remains in complete control of himself. He could be a useful ally especially if it means protecting Skye."

Loki listened to Amora and considered her argument. If Ward was willing to compromise himself like this for Skye without enchantment it stood to reason that he could be an ally instead of a foe. Moreover, if he became an obstacle later it would be easier to explain away his death as collateral damage in the battle to rule Asgard. No matter the outcome, their daughter would be safely on Asgard with them.

"It looks like Agent Ward will be accompanying us to Asgard. However, I would suggest that we leave this afternoon. It is unlikely that S.H.I.E.L.D. will continue to be in the dark about our presence here."

Amora kissed him. "I will tell Skye the good news."

Loki said, "I will come with you. I should welcome our daughter's boyfriend into our family with open arms."

She chuckled softly and walked with him into kitchen where Skye and Grant were seated at the island eating breakfast.

Amora said, "We have some good news. Loki has seen reason and he understands that he can't keep a young couple in love apart. His only worry was that Grant would grow tired of Asgard and decide to leave. Loki was worried that you would follow him, Skye. He just didn't want to lose you a second time. He is better with commands than emotions."

Ward wasn't sure that he believed a word coming out of Amora's mouth but he saw Skye's face light up. Her happiness in this situation was what counted to him. Loki didn't have to like him.

Skye rushed over and hugged Loki. "I am so glad that you changed your mind. I know that you don't know Ward but I do and I trust him. Thank you."

Loki squeezed her and said, "It is worth it to have our daughter with us. However, on that note I have to say that we will have to leave today. S.H.I.E.L.D. may be closing in on us and the longer we stay the higher the chance of capture becomes."

Grant said, "Skye and I discussed that this morning. We understand that we have to leave as soon as possible."

Amora said, "Well, then we shouldn't delay. After you finish breakfast, we will depart for my home in Westchester."


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi Everyone! I am sorry I am a little late with this chapter. Briefly, I lost the flash drive it was saved on. For a moment, I thought I would have to rewrite it from memory. This is the penultimate chapter and I hope that everyone enjoys it. I want to thank everyone that has read, reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. I am working on the sequel and want to warn you that it will be set in the future. Also, I am giving fair warning that this chapter delves into the comics a little concerning Director Fury.**

* * *

**34. The Fear**

* * *

Grant walked into Skye's bedroom with a bottle of water and saw her sitting on the bed looking conflicted. He frowned and sat beside her. "Are you okay? I got this bottle of water for you."

She sniffed slightly and nodded. "I'm fine. Thank you." Skye opened the bottle of water and took a sip. Afterward she put the cap back on the bottle and clutched it for dear life.

He gave her a skeptical look and reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. "Well, we both know that isn't true. You look like you are on the verge of tears. You can talk to me about anything. What's going on, baby?"

Normally, Skye smiled a little when he called her baby. It was such an intimate term of endearment from a man that could be so aloof. However, at this moment she couldn't muster even the barest of smiles. "Are you going to tell me what's going on with you?"

He gave her a confused look. Ward assumed that there was something going on with her not the other way around. "I don't know what you mean, Skye. I'm fine."

It was Skye's turn to give Ward a skeptical look. "You have been really quiet since you agreed to come to Asgard with me. I just want to let you know that you don't have to do that. I wouldn't hold it against you if you decided to stay here." She couldn't think of anything else that would explain his odd behavior. Ward wasn't exactly a sparkling conversationalist but he had barely spoken a word all morning.

"You're pregnant." Grant uttered the phrase as if it was a foregone conclusion. There was no way he would stay behind on Earth while Skye went to Asgard.

She sighed heavily and hugged herself. "I know but that doesn't mean you should have to give up your entire world to follow me. I promise that I will only stay a couple of months and then I will come back for you. Our relationship is new and the last thing I want to do is force you into such a major commitment. I was being selfish when I suggested you come with me. I'm sorry for that."

He looked into her eyes. "I am going to Asgard because I love you, Skye. You are the first girl I have ever loved. I don't want to be without you and there is nothing here on Earth more important to me than the two of you."

Skye looked down as he placed a hand on her flat stomach. It was such a loving gesture that she couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

She sighed, "You are saying all the right things but you're distant. It feels like you are holding something back from me. I have started to be able to hear thoughts since my mother got rid of the spell on me. I have been trying so hard to stay out of your head. It isn't fair for me to know things you aren't ready for me to know. I just don't want you to regret this decision. I don't want you to resent me for everything you are giving up."

He sighed softly seeing the tears slipping down her cheeks. "I do love you. I want to go to Asgard. I want us to be a family. I have no doubts about that but there is something I am not telling you. I am worried about our baby. I have been thinking about it since before you took the test. You were thrown against a wall while we were on our last mission. What if something happened to the baby?"

Skye gasped softly and trembled a little. She placed her hand atop Grant's hand that still rested on her stomach. It seemed a cruel twist of fate that she might have lost her baby when she just found her parents.

He hated the terrified look on her face. Grant brushed away her tears. "I'm sorry."

In a hoarse voice, she whispered, "I didn't even think about that. What if there is something wrong with the baby? What if something has happened?"

Skye's bedroom door opened without warning and Loki stood there with a scowl on his face. "What have you done to her?"

Grant glared and his jaw tightened. He asked, "Can we have a little privacy? This has nothing to do with you!"

Loki grabbed Agent Ward by his shirt collar and lifted him into the air. "What did you do to her?"

Amora walked into the room having heard the commotion from the living room. "Loki, put him down!"

Skye sobbed. "He didn't do anything to hurt me. You are just making this situation worse! Stop it!"

Amora looked at Skye feeling her heart break a little for her daughter. She said, "Loki, you are upsetting Skye. Stop this."

Loki snapped out of his rage hearing Skye's sobs across the room. He slowly lowered Grant to the ground and released him.

Amora pulled Skye into a hug and rubbed her back. "What's wrong, sweetheart? What's happened?"

Skye said, "I'm pregnant but the night I came here to you I was attacked by some type of super soldier. Then Grant and I jumped from a second-story balcony to get away. I have healed now but I don't know if the baby is okay. What if the baby isn't okay?"

Loki asked, "Pregnant? You're pregnant? When did you find out?" He looked at Amora wondering how she didn't know something so big. She had been listening to Ward's thoughts. It made him wonder what else she might be keeping from him.

Grant said, "I thought Skye might have been pregnant so I bought a box of tests yesterday and she took one this morning. It was positive."

Loki now understood why Grant was so deadest on following Skye to Asgard. He had experience in being on a different celestial body than the woman pregnant with your child. You would do anything to be with them. Loki had been quite willing to move to Earth if Odin hadn't rescinded Amora's exile.

Amora said, "We'll get you to a doctor to make sure that the baby is okay. I know the perfect person. He has a practice in Westchester County. He was my doctor when I was pregnant with you. He is Asgardian. We should leave now. We will take my car. I don't think it is a good idea for you to teleport right now. You need to conserve your strength, love."

* * *

**35. Breaking the Bond**

* * *

Amora pulled into a parking space on the side of a quaint doctor's office in Willowshire, New York. It was a sleepy little retirement community with a relatively small population. She turned around and looked at Skye in the backseat. "Loki and I will stay here. I thought you and Grant would want to do this alone. Dr. Winston has closed his office for the afternoon so you don't have to worry about any interruptions. We will be here if you need us."

Skye's eyes were red-rimmed because she had cried silently the entire ride. She wanted to know the truth but at the same time, she wasn't ready. Until the doctor told her otherwise she could pretend that everything was okay. She could pretend that she was still pregnant and that their baby was healthy. Finding out the truth could change all of that and it terrified her.

She nodded at Amora. "Thank you."

Ward climbed out of the car the car with Skye and they walked into the office.

A woman sitting behind the reception desk smiled at them warmly. "Good afternoon. How can I help you?"

Grant cleared his throat. He looked at Skye and then said, "We have an emergency appointment with Dr. Winston. I think he should be expecting us. It should be listed under Skye Laufeyson." It was strange for Skye to have a last name. He was used to her just being Skye. His Skye.

There was a flash of recognition in the woman's eyes and then she nodded. She said, "Dr. Winston is waiting for you. I'll show you to the examination room."

Grant squeezed Skye's hand and followed the nurse to an examination room in the back.

The nurse handed Skye a pale pink gown. "Just get changed into this and Dr. Winston will be with you shortly." She exited the room and pulled the door closed behind her.

Skye took off her clothes and placed them over the back of a nearby chair. She pulled on the gown and turned her back to Ward. "Could you tie the back of this thing for me?"

Ward kissed her cheek. "Sure." He tied the gown. "Do you need help getting onto the bed?"

She smiled a little. "No. I can do that myself, Ward. Thanks for that though." Skye sat back on the bed and put her feet up. She pulled the thin sheet up over her legs and up to her stomach.

Grant squeezed her hand. "No matter what happens we are going to be okay, Skye."

"Will you still come to Asgard if I'm not pregnant?" asked Skye. She was scared of his answer but wanted to know the truth regardless.

"I didn't decide to go to Asgard with you because you are pregnant. I'm not going to change my mind now. I am going because I want to be with you and that is all that matters. I don't care if we are on Earth, Asgard, or the moon. I just want to be with you, Skye."

Dr. Winston knocked on the door and then walked into the room. He smiled. "Well, it is rare that I get to provide prenatal care to someone I delivered once upon a time." Because of his lack of aging comparative to humans, he didn't stay in one place for more than a few decades. His appearance was that of an older man so usually people just believed he died.

Skye smiled. "You delivered me?"

He nodded as he turned on the ultrasound equipment. "You had a powerful set of lungs when you were born. The way you screamed I thought you might shatter a window."

Grant chuckled thinking that sounded very much like the Skye he knew. She definitely had a tendency to leave a lasting impression on people.

"Now I understand there is some concern."

Skye nodded. "I took a home pregnancy test and it was positive but before I found that out I was injured. We're just worried that maybe the baby was harmed in the process."

Dr. Winston said, "Well, I understand your apprehension. However, I would like to let you know that I am positive that your baby is fine. You and the baby are Asgardian. If there was some small trauma to the baby, I am positive that he or she would have healed just as you did."

Skye's eyes widened. "You think so?"

Grant asked, "Being half human wouldn't change that? I'm the father and I'm human."

He smiled. "When a baby is in utero he has his mother's immune system. Skye's body would have provided everything he needed, but let's get a look to ease your minds. Now I want to warn you that because you are Asgardian the gestation time is different. You will be pregnant about half the time of a human woman. A human woman is pregnant for approximately 40 to 42 weeks. As an Asgardian you will be pregnant for about 20 to 22 weeks."

Grant's eyes widened after hearing that information. He struggled to do the math in his head but came up empty.

Skye rolled the gown up so that it was above her stomach and the blanket kept her lower half covered.

Dr. Winston said, "This might be a little cold." He spread the ultrasound conductive gel over Skye stomach. Dr. Winston picked up the transducer probe and started to move it around Skye's stomach. "There is your baby and he or she looks fine to me. Have a look for yourself."

There was silence for a moment and then they heard a loud rhythmic thumping sound.

Skye gasped softly. "Is that the heartbeat?"

He nodded. "Yes, it is."

Ward grinned. "Look he's moving."

She laughed softly. "I see that. This is amazing. So there's nothing wrong with our baby?"

Dr. Winston continued doing the ultrasound checking for any anomalies. He shook his head. "I don't see anything wrong. I see a perfectly healthy baby. My estimate from the size of the baby is that you are about 5 weeks pregnant."

He printed two copies of the ultrasound picture and then turned off the machine. He handed them to Grant.

Grant tried to count weeks in his head and the date struck him almost immediately. Skye had gotten pregnant their first time together in her bunk. He still regretted how he acted the next morning.

Skye nodded. "Yeah I guess that's right. Wait so that means I only have 15 weeks left?"

Dr. Winston nodded and handed her paper towel to clean the conductive gel off her stomach. "Yes."

Her mouth fell open. "I'm not ready for that! That's too soon."

Dr. Winston laughed softly. "Well, you have 15 weeks to get ready. Congratulations to both of you. I will give the two of you some privacy. Take as much time as you'd like."

Grant stood up and shook the man's hand. "Thank you Dr. Winston."

He smiled. "It was my pleasure." The doctor left the room and closed the door behind him.

Skye climbed off the bed and hugged Grant tight. "We're pregnant! I don't know if I am more scared or excited!"

Grant kissed her passionately and then pulled back to look into her eyes. He smiled. "This is even more reason for us to leave now and go to Asgard with your parents. Don't you agree?"

She nodded. "I do."

He smiled. "Well, you should get dressed so that we can get out of here."

Skye laughed and said, "Untie my gown please and I will."

Grant untied it and helped her take off the gown.

Skye put her clothes back on and grabbed Ward's hand. "Ready?"

He nodded and then looked as if something had just occurred to him. He joked, "I wonder if this will make Loki hate me more or less."

Skye laughed. "I honestly don't know the answer to that question. Although, I'm not sure how he could hate you more."

Grant laughed with her. "I can't figure out if he hates me because I'm dating you or because I'm human. Maybe it's both."

"Well, he wanted to enslave humans so I would think it is probably the human thing. I promise if I ever become a power hungry demigod that I will be a magnanimous queen and you will be my only concubine. On the other hand, would you prefer to be called my consort? Introducing Queen Skye Laufeyson's consort Grant Ward. Has a nice ring to it doesn't it?" Skye teased.

Ward laughed and tickled her side. He pulled her against him and smiled looking into her eyes. "I had better be your only concubine."

Skye's eyes sparkled while she laughed. She smirked. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Although, my father did offer to marry me off to someone named Vali. I should at least meet him first." She saw the expression on Ward's face and added, "I'm only joking!"

He laughed darkly. "Oh, I know you are joking. Or at least you better be for his sake."

As they were walking out of the doctor's office hand in hand, Ward was tossed against the brick structure with incredible force. He groaned in pain as he collapsed onto the pavement.

Another Centipede Super Solider grabbed Skye and tossed her over his shoulder. He started toward a van that was idling down the street. It was obvious that they had been waiting for Skye and Ward to exit.

Ward was struggling to get back onto his feet to go after Skye but as soon as he did, the man that had thrown him against the building knocked him to the ground again. He screamed, "Skye!"

He scrambled back to his feet and started battling the super soldier with all of his might.

Grant only hoped Amora and Loki would hear the commotion. He couldn't help but think this had John Garrett written all over it. However, that was of little help as he was relentlessly pummeled by the super solider.

Skye struggled against the Centipede soldier's hold on her but quickly stopped realizing that she didn't need to work so hard. She closed her eyes and focused like Loki taught her the previous day. Her skin turned blue and her eyes turned a dark red color as she took on her frost giant form. She touched the man's neck and watched as ice began to envelope his entire frame. Skye wrenched herself out of his hold.

The man screamed in agony. "What did you do to me? What did you do? Help me! Please!"

Skye touched the top of his head and a mischievous smirk appeared as his entire body was encased in ice. Briefly, she stared at the man's body now frozen solid like a block of ice and admired her handiwork. Afterward, she spun around to check on Ward but should not have been worried.

Loki was standing over the prone body of the other Centipede soldier. The man didn't appear to be moving. Begrudgingly, Loki offered Grant a hand to get off the ground. The young man had taken a severe beating from the would be kidnapper's accomplice. However, he was impressed with Ward's determination to continue fighting. Most humans would have collapsed and stayed down.

Ward held his side for a moment but then stood straight up. He wasn't about to let Loki see him looking weak. He nodded at the man. "Thank you for the assist."

Loki waved his hand dismissively as if dispatching the super soldier had been little more than swatting an inconvenient fly.

Skye ran back to the doctor's office and wrapped her arms around Ward. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

He said, "I'll be okay. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Grant touched her face and looked her over with a worried expression.

She nodded. "I'm fine."

Loki chuckled. "I think she did more damage to him."

Grant glanced at the massive block of ice and then looked at Skye.

She chewed her lip nervously. "It sort of just happened. How did they find us?"

Grant said, "I don't know. I guess the same way they found us in the hotel in Dublin. They were obviously looking for you again."

The van that had been idling began to speed away from the scene. The man was obviously going to leave his compatriots behind.

However, Amora would have none of that. She sent out a green electrical pulse that disabled the van and the man behind the wheel. The electrical pulse short-circuited the centipede equipment almost completely.

She stalked over to the van and ripped the door off its hinges. She frowned seeing that the man was much more mouse than lion without his orange glowing centipede appendage. She touched his face. "Who do you work for?"

He whimpered. "The Clairvoyant."

"What does The Clairvoyant want with Skye?" asked Amora.

"He wants her blood."

Amora laughed coolly. "Can your clairvoyant hear me now?"

The man nodded slightly. He looked terrified. He said, "My eye. There is a camera in my eye. He said you should speak into the camera."

"I have a very good idea about who you are. I will return to Earth and when I do, I will dismantle this Hydra scale by scale until I find you. When I do I will take you back to Asgard and put you in a very small box for the rest of your human life." Amora smiled and then walked away from the van to rejoin Loki on the sidewalk.

Grant was almost certain this was Agent Garrett's doing. It occurred to him that John could have been lying about being in Sydney when they talked the previous day. He had joked yesterday that he was beginning to question Ward's loyalty. Perhaps it wasn't such a joke. Garrett had S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources so it made sense that he could use the surveillance program to locate Ward and Skye. They would have passed a couple hundred cameras as they left Amora's high-rise and drove to Willowshire.

Loki asked, "Would you like to fill us in?"

Skye said, "We've encountered these guys before. A few weeks ago one attacked me in a hotel's hallway before a woman stole my blood."

Amora raised an eyebrow and looked at Grant. She realized that even he didn't know what that was all about. She said, "Well, we should get out of here. I'm afraid that we've drawn some unwanted attention to ourselves."

Grant looked around and saw people standing outside of neighboring businesses. Some people were just gawking but others were recording the scene with their phones. "S.H.I.E.L.D. won't be far behind once these people start posting pictures or videos of this on social media."

* * *

**36. Eureka!**

* * *

Fitz ran to Agent Coulson's office with his laptop in hand. He knocked but then burst into the office. "Agent Coulson, I've found them! I've found them!" He stopped talking seeing Director Fury engaged in a heated conversation with Agent Coulson.

Fitz gulped nervously. He stammered, "I-I-I can come back. I'm sorry for intruding, sirs." A rosy blush colored the scientist's cheeks and he clutched his laptop tighter.

Nick Fury smirked at the expression on the young man's face. However, he was pleased to hear that progress had been made in the search for their missing agents. "It is a little late for that. You said that you've found Agent Ward and Skye?"

The young scientist nodded slightly but still felt unable to speak. It wasn't every day that you were face to face with Nick Fury. He was an awe-inspiring man.

"Well, then show us what you found, Agent Fitz."

He placed the laptop onto Agent Coulson's desk. "I was researching residential structures in Manhattan that escaped damage during the Chitauri's attack. Once I narrowed down the search parameters I was able to use Skye's algorithm to search surveillance feeds in that general area for Agent Ward or Skye. I found them once yesterday having lunch with a woman whose image the system flagged. Her file is above my clearance level so I am not sure why she is flagged in the system."

Agent Coulson said, "Pull up her picture, Fitz."

The young man nodded and pulled up the image he isolated from the surveillance footage. He stepped out of the way so that the two older men could look at the image on the screen.

Agent Coulson and Director Fury exchanged glances but didn't say anything. There had been little doubt that Skye and Grant were with The Enchantress but now they had visual confirmation.

Phil asked, "Is that all you found, Fitz?" Manhattan wasn't a large area but it was packed to the gills with people. It wouldn't be easy to conduct a search for two that were actively trying to hide.

"No, sir. I also found Skye on a surveillance camera with Loki yesterday. It was taken last night at a convenience store in Midtown Manhattan. It isn't likely that Skye would travel beyond a two or three block radius to go to a store to buy candy. I cross-referenced the unscathed buildings in a three-block radius of the store and accessed the digital surveillance systems at the entrances for the buildings at the approximate time they would have been returning from their trip to the store. I managed to find surveillance footage of them entering a high-rise building in Midtown Manhattan. There is footage of them leaving that same building this morning and getting into a car. I have Simmons trying to find the car on traffic cameras."

Director Fury clapped Leo on the back. "Well done, son. Track down that car for us."

"Thank you, sir."

Agent Coulson said, "Good work, Fitz. You are dismissed."

Fitz collected his laptop and exited the office.

Phil asked, "How are we going to rescue two people that are not in distress and do not want to be rescued? If we try to do this by force, it is going to get messy. You know what the Enchantress and Loki are capable of doing. Skye crippled this plane for half a day accidentally. I shudder to think what she would do on purpose. I also cannot account for Agent Ward's state of mind or his allegiance. He is one of the best specialists I know and he is in love with Skye. He gave her his credentials to hack into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files. I think it is safe to say his relationship with her trumps his role as an agent."

Phil found himself a little jealous of Ward's decisiveness. He often wished that he had exhibited the same fortitude when it came to his relationship with Melinda. They were friends now but he missed the time when they were more.

Director Fury paced the office floor. He said, "Then we take an alternate tactic. You will approach as a sign of good faith and let them know that we are not interested in aggression. We just wanted to verify that they are safe since they have not contacted you or S.H.I.E.L.D. since their disappearance."

"I seriously doubt that Skye will be interested in saying very much to me. She has seen her file. She knows that S.H.I.E.L.D. knew the truth about her parents the entire time. The sting of betrayal from the lies will be long lasting. I doubt she will be in a very forgiving mood."

Nick Fury frowned. He would have to be an idiot not to catch the double meaning in Phil's statement. He knew it was a bitter pill to swallow but it had to be done. "I know you are angry with me but I couldn't just let you die that day in New York. That couldn't be the end after how much you've dedicated to S.H.I.E.L.D. and me."

Phil said, "I did die."

"And I brought you back to life."

Phil yelled, "I never asked you to do that! Moreover, when I started putting the pieces together you still wouldn't tell me the truth until after the Clairvoyant and his envoy, Raina, got their hands on me. This is my life and I had a right to know the truth. I should have been told the truth. How many of your operatives have died over the years? Why was I different?"

Nick Fury said, "I was your supervising officer, Coulson. You know from experience that you never stop being in that role. When you were killed, all I saw was the kid that I trained all those years ago. In my lifetime, I have watched many people I care about perish while I survive. I could not watch it happen to another. I wanted to tell you the truth but I was concerned about the affect it would have on your mental state. The process I used is unproven and had a myriad of possible side effects. I worked on the project for years and the serum we were using was unstable. Some of the participants in the project deteriorated physically and mentally. When you were killed, I made the decision to dust off the project as well as my own personal secret weapon. The serum I used was able to combat the side effects. I didn't just save your life…I increased your lifespan."

An eerie silence took over the room as the two men stood behind Phil's desk looking at one another.

Agent Coulson's eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"The drug that has given me my longevity does more than that. It offers cell regeneration, which you were in dire need of when you were killed. There is only a finite supply left of the Infinity Formula and I protect it with my life. I have been inoculated so much that I no longer need the drug. However, I started to think of the future some time ago. I will not live forever. I do not want to live forever. I will need a steward I trust to protect S.H.I.E.L.D. and Earth when I die. I had more of the drug synthesized and I selected two successors to be inoculated."

Coulson's eyes widened. "Me and who else?"

Fury replied, "Agent Grant Ward. He is the perfect successor to you. John Garrett was his supervising officer and he will have years of your tutelage. There will be no challenge too big for him."

Phil's eyes widened and he dropped like a stone into his chair. "You don't just want Skye back…you want Grant as well so that he can be inoculated."

"The inoculation process has already begun. The new synthesized version of the Infinity Serum requires far fewer injections to replicate the results you see in me. It is a better formula with superior results. Grant has received one each month since the attack in New York. His lifespan has already been increased at least three-fold."

Coulson felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. He asked, "And me?"

Director Fury nodded.

"Does Grant know what you've done to him?"

Director Fury said, "He signed the paperwork to be part of a clinical trial for the agency. He agreed to the inoculations although he doesn't know what they are for."

It all sounded a little mad scientist even to Nick's ears but his intentions were good. He was certain that Agent Coulson and Agent Ward were the right choices for successors.

Agent Coulson braced himself against the desk in shock. He couldn't understand how a man he trusted so thoroughly could make such a massive decision about his life. Director Fury cursed him to the same fate of living decades longer than everyone he loved.

* * *

**37. Farewell**

* * *

Fitz was toiling away on his computer trying to find the car Skye and Ward were traveling in. However, that was much easier said than done. There were millions of commuters on the roads and a black SUV didn't exactly stick out like a sore thumb. It also didn't help that this wasn't exactly his area of expertise. Skye was the computer aficionado of the group. In fact, he wouldn't even be this far in the search if it were not for finding Skye's algorithm on the laptop she left behind.

Simmons stood across the room looking at the huge screen. She struggled to monitor all of the traffic camera feeds that Fitz was throwing up onto the screen. It was like trying to find a very slender needle in an enormous steel colored haystack. She was truly worried for Grant and Skye. The two of them being with Loki couldn't be a good sign.

Fitz yelled, "Simmons! Get over here."

Jemma spun around to look at Fitz. She was about to chastise him for distracting her from the task. However, her mouth snapped shut immediately seeing Skye and Ward on his computer screen. She quickly crossed the room. "Skye! You don't know how glad I am to see you."

Skye shushed her. "Keep your voice down. I don't want to get the two of you in trouble. We just couldn't leave without saying goodbye."

Fitz asked, "What do you mean goodbye? Where are you going?" The young scientist wasn't exactly good with change. The last couple of days had made him more agitated than normal. Their team was like a little family and he didn't want that to change.

Skye said, "The night I teleported off the plane I found my parents. I'm Asgardian."

Fitz and Simmon's jaws dropped at exactly the same time.

Jemma was the first to recover. Her brain started mulling over the facts and now everything started to make sense. Skye's miraculous healing and Agent Couslon's unwillingness to allow her to test Skye's blood were connected. However, at that moment it dawned on Simmons that he knew the whole time.

She said, "That's exciting news but I don't understand what that has to do with you needing to say goodbye."

Skye smiled fondly at her best friend and tried to keep her tears at bay. She didn't imagine saying goodbye would prove to be so difficult. "I've been on Earth my whole life. Oh, did you know it is called Midgard by the Asgardians? Anyway, it is time that I go home."

Fitz said, "This is your home! Here with us!"

She nodded. "You guys are my family but I really want to get to know my parents. My father is Loki. After what he did to AC and Earth …I can't ask him to stay here. He has to leave. I wouldn't risk his safety or yours for anything in the world." Skye didn't want to say it earlier because Loki was her father but she didn't trust him not to hurt people. He killed Agent Coulson and others during his bid to take over Earth. She couldn't in good conscience be responsible for keeping him on Earth any longer than necessary.

Ward saw that Skye was overcome with emotion and decide to take over for her. "We won't be gone forever. We'll come back at some point."

Simmons asked, "You're leaving too?"

He nodded. "There are long distance relationships and then there is this. I'm going to Asgard with Skye, but we have other news."

Fitz moaned, "I don't think I can take anymore. You're breaking up our team and we don't know when we'll see you again."

Simmons put an arm around Fitz's shoulders to comfort him. She rested her head against his as she gazed at the screen with glassy eyes. "What's the other news?"

Skye picked up the ultrasound picture and held it up in front of the camera.

Simmons gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. "You're pregnant? I'm going to be an aunt!"

Skye and Ward both got a chuckle out of that one. "Well, you are the closest I've ever had to a sister. Yes, you're going to be an aunt."

Fitz grinned. "Wait? Does that make me an uncle? I have always wanted to be an uncle. Uncle Fitzy or maybe Uncle Leo? Oh! Maybe I can just be called the Doctor. How does that sound?" He'd always likened himself to Matt Smith's portrayal of the Doctor. "I can't believe you're pregnant."

Melinda walked into the room and asked, "Who's pregnant?"

Fitz struggled to cover his screen. "No one! No one is pregnant, Agent May!" He hit random buttons but nothing was working.

Melinda May stepped forward and saw Grant and Skye on the screen. She looked at the two scientists. In a disapproving tone she said, "You should have told Coulson and Director Fury that they contacted you."

Ward said, "We just wanted to say goodbye, May. We're leaving for awhile."

She sighed, "Grant, leaving will just make things worse. Come in and talk to Fury. Sort things out and take a leave of absence before you take off. Everyone knows about your relationship now. You don't have to hide it not that you were doing that great of a job to begin with."

Skye asked, "You knew?"

She raised an eyebrow. "How could I not? It was as if Grant had Skye specific radar. No matter where we were, I would always catch him looking for your location to make sure you were safe."

Grant smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "Force of habit."

Melinda smiled at him. Phil used to do the same thing when she was a young agent. In fact, if she was honest she still caught him doing it every now and again. "Agent Coulson isn't going to split the two of you up. He just wants you to come back."

"You told me that we only regret the risks we didn't take. Well, I am taking this risk. Skye's pregnant. That means we are starting a family. Somehow, I don't think being a S.H.I.E.L.D. specialist is compatible with that."

Skye said, "Tell A.C. that I forgive him for not telling me about my mother. He is right. I am in danger. Centipede soldiers attacked us this afternoon as we were leaving the doctor's office. I don't know how they found us but…they tried to kidnap me. I am safer on Asgard for now."

Melinda realized that if she didn't get Coulson in here now he wouldn't even get the chance to say goodbye. She couldn't let that happen. "Don't go just yet. At least say goodbye to Agent Coulson. Please."

Agent May ran out of the room and into Phil's office without bothering to knock at all.

Phil looked up from his desk. "Is there an update? Has Fitz found Skye and Ward?"

"No he didn't find them. They are on a video call right now. They are going to Asgard with Loki and Amora. You should come say goodbye. I tried to talk Ward out of it but Skye's pregnant and they were attacked by Centipede soldiers this afternoon. He's just trying to protect her."

Coulson and Fury raced through the plane to FitzSimmons lab. Neither man was ready to let them go.

However, when they arrived in the room Fitz was just hugging Simmons while she sniffled sadly.

Fitz looked at them over Jemma's shoulder. He said, "They're gone."

* * *

**38. Common Ground**

* * *

Amora said, "I know that you are not fond of taking Grant to Asgard but it is necessary. Skye is pregnant with his child. She needs him with her. He serves a greater purpose. You must be pragmatic about this, Loki. Do not allow your personal feelings to get in the way of what is most important. I believe he will prove very useful to us but only under your guidance. You can mold him into the warrior we need him to be, Loki. I will mold our daughter into the sorcerer she was destined to become. We will be so powerful that even the mighty Thor will kneel before us."

Loki's brows furrowed and he scowled. However, Amora knew that she won the battle. Loki could be as stubborn as the day was long but he was pragmatic about getting what he wanted. He knew how to make the uncomfortable decisions more palatable for himself. The bottom line was that Skye would not go to Asgard without Grant. Loki had his suspicions about the young man's loyalties but testing his trustworthiness would have to wait until they left Earth. Furthermore, if the scene outside of the doctor's office was any indication he did have the spirit of a warrior.

Loki said, "I'll have a word with him."

Amora pulled Loki into a smoldering kiss. Afterward she smiled looking into his eyes. "Then I won't keep you. I believe he is outside. I am going to see if Skye is feeling any better." Saying goodbye to her friends had taken an unexpected toll on the young woman.

Agent Grant Ward kneeled beneath the tallest cherry tree on Amora's property. His calloused fingers traced the etched letters on the memorial plaque. He was unfamiliar with the language but he now knew it was meant to be Skye's headstone. The very notion sent a cold chill down his spine. He could have lost her before even getting the chance to know her. It was a sobering thought.

His love for Skye was unexpected. This type of relationship wasn't natural to him. The arrangement he had with Agent May was more his speed. He didn't like connections or attachments. Deep emotion had the ability to distract you from your mission. The darkness inside of him was deeper than anyone on the team could imagine.

Becoming a specialist for S.H.I.E.L.D. was simple for him. He had the necessary personality type and background to be quite effective in the field. His voluntary detachment from his family meant he could be undercover or dedicated to missions for months at a time without needing to reach out to anyone, but it was more than that. His childhood provided a serious buffer for the physical and psychological trauma he encountered on missions or during interrogations.

Grant had the ability to psychologically dissociate from the terrible circumstances he found himself in. The pain would recede into the background and all that was left was his tactical faculties preparing a maneuver on the off chance his captor was distracted for even a second.

Ward routinely subverted his personality and adopted a persona that would be most effective for the mission. His job was to fit into any mold, complete the mission, and then fade into the ether as if he never existed. He possessed ruthless efficiency and had a generally ambivalent attitude toward his continued survival. Each mission carried the risk of death and he was never deterred by that.

Over the years, for better or worse, Grant made his allegiances and he stuck to them. He didn't waiver because of changing personal relationships. However, his relationship with Skye was the one exception. Her very presence threw a wrench in all of his plans and made him question what was important.

If his love for Skye wasn't enough motivation they now had confirmation that she was indeed pregnant with his child. His former alliances faded into the background and his purpose was now clear. His future was linked to Skye and their child.

Loki stood a few feet away and watched with a great deal of interest as Grant Ward knelt in front of the cherry tree. Ward had been kneeling for the last fifteen minutes.

Loki smirked to himself and decided that he had just found his way to connect with the younger man. He knew that coming from a mutual place of understanding was the best way to make himself appear more human to Ward. His crimes notwithstanding, they did have one very important thing in common.

He walked over to the tree and said, "I hated this tree and everything it stood for. However, now I find it to be quite pleasing."

Ward stood up abruptly and looked at Loki with suspicion. He knew the man didn't like him. Moreover, he knew the show of tolerance this morning was only for Skye's benefit. However, it also made him understand the lengths Loki was willing to go to in order to get Skye to Asgard. "It seems strange to hate an inanimate object. Is that a custom of Asgard or has this tree done something to personally offend you?"

Loki gave a clipped laugh. "There are a great many customs you will find strange on Asgard. I believe you will find that the world is larger and full of more wonder than you could have ever imagined. However, my hate of this tree was not some personal vendetta. I hated it because it survived when my daughter did not. The house that stands here now is relatively new. The original house was much smaller when Skye was born and in a different location than it stands now. Amora planted this tree outside of Skye's nursery."

Grant heard the notes of sadness and anger in Loki's voice. He asked, "How did it happen?"

"When you have lived as long as I have you make a lot of enemies along the way. If you combine that with being the son of Odin, it can be a potent elixir. Amora had been exiled from Asgard and she wanted to come home. I asked my mother to convince my father to rescind his decree and allow Amora to return because she was pregnant. He ruminated over the decision for quite some time but ultimately agreed that his grandchild could not live on Earth. Skye had already been born by that point but she was going to come home so it was of little consequence that we had been separated for such a brief time."

Grant listened to Loki weave his tale and noted how honest his feelings toward Amora and Skye were. No matter what he might have done, he was a man that loved his family. It gave him hope for his own future. You could do bad things and still have love and a family. "What went wrong?"

"At the time, I did not know that my enemies were colluding with Amora's enemies. They decided to kill her in a bid to render me weak. My soft spot for Amora was well known. Karnilla and Lorelei used the Bifrost Bridge to come to Earth. They attacked Amora here while she was on her own with Skye. The house was reduced to a smoldering pile of rubble during the fight. When I arrived, Amora was barely clinging to life. She begged me to find Skye. I sifted through the charred remains of the house but I didn't find her. We assumed she died in the house. I took Amora back to Asgard so that she could recover. My father ordered Karnilla and Lorelei imprisoned for their roles in Skye's death. I wished never to speak of it again but Amora could not adhere to that. Each year on Skye's birthday, she travelled here to pay respects to our lost child. This tree stood as her memorial. Over the years, Amora turned the entire property into a memorial for Skye. All of these cherry trees were planted in Skye's honor. Amora hoped that it meant that some small piece of our daughter would continue to live on."

Hearing Loki's story only strengthened his resolve. There was nothing more important than getting Skye off this planet before Agent Garrett had the opportunity to come after her again. Thus far, they had been lucky but he had no interest in trying their luck any further.

Amora walked out of the house with Skye at her side.

Skye asked, "Are you two playing nicely?"

Loki chuckled. "He's still in one piece. For now."

Grant turned around and asked, "Are you feeling better?"

She nodded and said, "I'm okay. It was just a little morning sickness. I guess. I am ready to go."

Loki smirked and said, "Then we should go…" He held his hand out to Skye. "You are a little young to try out dimensional teleportation on your own."

Skye looked at Ward feeling uncertain.

Loki chuckled heartily. "Don't worry. Your mother will ensure that the human makes it to Asgard unscathed."

Amora said, "I promise."

Skye took Loki's hand and the two of them disappeared.

Amora looked to Ward. "Well, it looks as if it is our turn."

He said, "I was thinking you might leave me here because of what happened today."

She shook her head. "I would never break a promise to Skye. Besides, I see so much more in you than human. Loki kills what he does not trust. However, I seek to understand. All I ask is that you realize that your loyalty is no longer to S.H.I.E.L.D. or Hydra but to my daughter."

Grant said, "I told you that I would protect Skye with my life and I meant it."

She smiled and extended her hand to him. "Then let's not keep them waiting."

Grant took Amora's hand and they disappeared into thin air.


End file.
